Sunrisers Hyderabad’s captain Kane Williamson will exit the IPL bubble to return to New Zealand for the impending birth of his second child.”Here’s everyone at the #Riser camp wishing Kane Williamson and his wife a safe delivery and a lot of happiness,” the franchise posted on their social channel.Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has captained Sunrisers in the past, and Nicholas Pooran, West Indies’ new white-ball captain, are among the options to lead them in their last league fixture against Punjab Kings on May 22 at the Wankhede Stadium, if Williamson is to miss the match.Both Sunrisers are Kings are still in the race for the playoffs, but only just. Their hopes hinge on Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals slipping up.Williamson struggled for form so much this season that his strike rate of 93.50 is the worst among batters with a minimum of 100 runs. On Tuesday against Mumbai Indians, Williamson dropped down to No.6, with Priyam Garg instead partnering Abhishek Sharma at the top. After Garg set the platform with 42 off 26 balls, Rahul Tripathi and Pooran launched from there as Sunrisers reached 193 for 6. Williamson, who walked out to bat in the 18th over, made an unbeaten eight off seven balls.With Williamson now potentially unavailable, fellow New Zealander Glenn Phillips might be in contention to make his debut for Sunrisers. Phillips can bat in the top as well as in the middle and bowl quickish offbreaks. He has also kept wicket in the past, but a back condition has limited that skill. Notably, Phillips was the top six-hitter in T20 cricket in 2021, with 97 sixes in 57 innings.
Sadia Iqbal and Kainat Imtiaz, meanwhile, are back after recovering from their respective injuries
Umar Farooq18-May-2022
Bismah Maroof will Pakistan in their first international series after the Women’s World Cup•AFP via Getty Images
Pakistan have named two uncapped players – wicketkeeper-batter Gull Feroza and legspinner Tuba Hassan – in their T20I squad for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. Feroza is also part of the squad for the ODI series, which also includes uncapped batter Sadaf Shamas. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal, meanwhile, has been recalled to both squads after recovering from an injury.Kainat Imtiaz, the pacer who had been ruled out of the Women’s World Cup earlier this year with a thumb injury, is back in the fold for the T20Is after clearing a fitness test in Karachi. Bismah Maroof will lead the side. She returns to the side after participating in the recently concluded FairBreak Invitational T20 event alongside Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig and Fatima Sana. The trio has now joined the team.The 26 probables for the national women’s team have been training since May 8 at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre at the National Stadium in Karachi. The pre-series camp is set to conclude today with the selectors having narrowed down the squad to 15. Left-arm-spinner Nashra Sandhu, who missed the camp due to a shoulder injury, will have to wait for her return.The series is set to start with a three-match T20I series from May 24 with the final game to be played on May 28. The ODIs that are a part of the ICC Women’s Championship will be played on June 1, 3, and 5. All games will be played at Karachi’s Southend Club.Related
PCB announce year-long calendar for women's cricket
Sri Lanka Women to tour Pakistan for three ODIs and T20Is
“I want to wish the two squads the very best for the series, we have provided opportunities to Gull Feroza, Sadaf Shamas and Tuba Hassan on the basis of their future potential and skills,” Chief Selector Asmavia Iqbal said. “The three youngsters took part in the emerging camp last December and made an impression with their talent. I am pleased to see their progress and we all feel it is now the right time to give them exposure in international cricket.”We had sent Tuba as a reserve player in the recently concluded ODI World Cup, she continues to make good progress; and since spin bowling has been a traditional strength of ours, I feel she can make a good contribution in our bowling strategy. Gull Feroza has also made good progress, she has an aggressive style of play and can provide us with brisk starts in both T20Is and ODIs which are now a big requirement at the international stage. Sadaf, besides her batting skills, provides us a bowling option too with her medium-pace skills.”T20I squad:Bismah Maroof (capt), Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza (wk), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan.ODI squad:Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Ameen, and Sidra Nawaz (wk).
Tottenham Hotspur’s up-and-down season has left Ange Postecoglou’s job hanging by a thread, but victory in the Europa League final may change all that.
While the Australian has had injury issues to deal with throughout the season, the Spurs boss has presided over an awful league campaign and has faced criticism for his unwillingness to compromise on his attacking principles.
In fact, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher went as far as to say Postecoglou will not remain in his job next season if he doesn’t change his style of play.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five potential replacements for the Spurs boss:
4 players who could leave Tottenham Hotspur this January
Could there be activity through the exit door in N17 this winter?
ByDominic Lund Dec 31, 2024 5 Mauricio Pochettino Ex-Tottenham manager
MauricioPochettinocoach of U.S. during the match
Invariably, whenever there is discussion over the future of a Tottenham manager, Mauricio Pochettino ends up being linked with the job, and that is no surprise given he guided the club to the final of the Champions League in 2019.
Since being sacked by Spurs, Pochettino has continued to impress in his following managerial roles, winning Ligue 1 and the French Cup with Paris Saint-Germain before guiding Chelsea to a sixth-placed finish last season.
However, the 52-year-old may well have burned his bridges with the fans that used to adore him by taking the job at Stamford Bridge, which makes him an unlikely candidate for the job.
The former Tottenham boss is also currently the manager of the United States and he will be focused on the 2026 World Cup, so a return to north London doesn’t make sense for any party.
10 times Tottenham shocked Manchester City
The Lilywhites have loved facing Manchester City over the years…
ByTom Cunningham Nov 21, 2024 4 Massimiliano Allegri 6-time Serie A winner
Juventus coach MassimilianoAllegricelebrates with the trophy after winning the Coppa Italia final
Massimiliano Allegri is known to have rejected a move to Tottenham in the past, but there have recently been calls for the Italian to replace Postecoglou – and there is some evidence he could be a smart appointment.
The 57-year-old has a proven track record of success in his home country, having won six Serie A titles, three Italian Cups and five Italian Super Cups across spells with Milan and Juventus.
Spurs desperately need to win a trophy of any description, having not lifted silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, and Allegri’s history indicates he could bring success to the club.
However, Daniel Levy has been down this road before, appointing supposed born winners in Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, with neither able to reach the heights expected of them.
Allegri is also well-known to play a more defensive style of football, which would be a major change in tactics from Postecoglou’s attacking focus, meaning the players may struggle to adapt in the second half of the season.
3 Kieran McKenna Guided Ipswich to unlikely promotion
Ipswich Town managerKieranMcKennaapplauds fans after the match
Kieran McKenna’s stock has risen dramatically over the past few years, having led Ipswich Town to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League, and he has been tipped to replace Postecoglou at Tottenham.
Back in December, Spanish sources reported that McKenna was the leading candidate to replace the Australian, and there are plenty of signs that he could do a stellar job in north London.
Ipswich were always expected to be in a relegation battle this season, but if they are to go down, it won’t be without a fight, having picked up impressive victories over the likes of Spurs and Chelsea.
A relegation by a tight margin would not be a blemish on McKenna’s record, given how monumental the task of keeping the Tractor Boys in the Premier League is, but he may be keen to move to a top club while his stock is still high.
Having made a name for himself as an attack-minded coach, the 38-year-old may not need much time to implement his philosophy at N17, and his age means he could be a long-term success in north London.
2 Edin Terzic Managed last season's Champions League finalists
Borussia Dortmund coachEdinTerziclooks dejected after the match
Serdal Adali, one of the candidates to be the next president of Besiktas, recently made an interesting claim in the media, asserting that Edin Terzic is “expecting an agreement” to become the new Tottenham manager.
It remains to be seen whether there is any truth behind Adali’s comments, but Terzic could be an exciting appointment for Spurs, given what he achieved at previous club Borussia Dortmund.
The 42-year-old led the German side to the Champions League final last season before coming up just short against Real Madrid, and he is another young coach who likes to implement an attractive brand of football.
Tottenham now holding internal talks over signing £202k-p/w ace in January
It would be a massive statement of intent from Postecoglou.
2 ByBen Browning Jan 6, 2025
The former Dortmund boss said: “There are many lessons I have learned… I found out that sometimes it’s not enough to score one more goal. It’s not only about winning; it’s also about winning in style. Now I’m thinking about winning with two goals more than the opposition.
“Like every coach, I want my team to be dominant, active, and play attractive football – to entertain and be successful.”
Terzic seems to share Postecoglou’s view that entertaining the fans is fundamental, alongside getting results, and he could be an exciting and low-cost appointment for Spurs given that he is currently without a club.
1 Thomas Frank Continuing to impress at Brentford
Brentford managerThomasFrank
If the rumours are to be believed, Tottenham are looking at up-and-coming managers with an exciting brand of football as potential Postecoglou replacements, and Thomas Frank ticks both of those boxes.
Former Tottenham CEO Claude Littner recently called for the Brentford manager to be brought in, describing him as an “ambitious” coach, and his record at Brentford speaks for itself.
Not only did Frank take the Bees up from the Championship, but he has also made them a solid Premier League side, and their home record is one of the best in the league.
That is despite losing Ivan Toney, highlighting exactly why the Dane is the second-longest-serving manager in the league behind Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
The 8 longest-serving managers in the Premier League & EFL
A rare sight in football…
ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2024
Guardiola has heaped praise upon his fellow manager in the past, admitting it won’t be long before he’s snapped up by a top European club: “It is just a question of time.
“I’m good in a few things, one of which is reading when the manager is good. It is going to happen.”
With Brentford performing well again this season, Tottenham may have to move quickly to ensure Frank doesn’t end up elsewhere, but they are likely to give their current manager a little while longer in the dugout.
David Ornstein has insisted that Postecoglou remains safe for the time being, but things can change quickly in football, and he could find himself in danger if he fails to turn around Spurs’ poor run of form soon.
يستكمل منتخب مصر للشباب، مشواره في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 20 عامًا، بمواجهة سيراليون، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، في ثاني مبارياته للمسابقة القارية.
ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع سيراليون، في إطار الجولة الثانية من عمر مواجهات مرحلة المجموعات لبطولة أمم إفريقيا المقامة في مصر.
ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الأولى لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا، بجانب زامبيا وسيراليون وتنزانيا وجنوب إفريقيا.
وكان منتخب مصر، فاز في مواجهة الجولة الأولى من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا على جنوب إفريقيا بهدف دون رد، ليتصدر ترتيب المجموعة بـ 3 نقاط.
طالع | لاعب منتخب مصر يغيب عن مباراة سيراليون في كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب
واستقر أسامة نبيه، المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر، على تشكيل الفراعنة الصغار لمواجهة سيراليون، حيث سيدفع باللاعب المحترف ضمن صفوف أستون فيلا عمر خضر، بالإضافة إلى محمد عبد الله صاحب هدف الفوز على جنوب إفريقيا من بداية اللقاء، بعدما كان احتياطيًا في اللقاء الأول. تشكيل منتخب مصر المتوقع أمام سيراليون اليوم في كأس أمم إفريقيا للشباب
حراسة المرمى: عبد المنعم تامر.
خط الدفاع: محمد سمير وعبدالله بوستنجي وأحمد عابدين ومهاب سامي.
خط الوسط: أحمد خالد كاباكا ومحمد السيد وأحمد وحيد.
“He is a diamond. All we’ve done is to cut and polish him a little,” says Surrey’s interim assistant coach Azhar Mahmood
Osman Samiuddin23-Jun-2022Jamie Overton has been a long, long time coming. Having impressed at U-19 level a decade ago, and been first called up to an England squad in 2013, and despite being a near-permanent presence on England’s radar, he only makes his England debut today, at Headingley.The pace has always kept them interested but, this season, a confluence of events has finally thrust him into the limelight proper. England are missing, through injury, nearly an entire XI of fast bowlers, but Overton’s performances this season for Surrey mean he would’ve been beeping brightly on that radar in any case.Related
Jamie Overton soaks in the different world of the IPL
Jamie Overton earns the right to take Test speedster role on
England aim to continue 'in the entertainment business'
Go harder or go home: England aim to take Bazball to the next level
Jamie Overton to make Test debut as Anderson misses out
He has been the standout English fast bowler on the circuit; his strike rate of 38.3 is bettered only by his twin brother Craig (min. five matches), but it is – again, still – the pace that has people cooing. He’s picked up a decent haul of wickets, but there’s been as much excitement about the hustle and threat of his bouncers. In some dispatches he’s said to have been 10mph quicker than any other bowler around him.It is in stark contrast to the desperate struggle of last season, in which Overton picked up six wickets at 75 in eight games. The inconsistency has been a theme but, this season, under the watchful eye of Azhar Mahmood, there are signs that may be changing.Mahmood has quietly built up an impressive coaching career, with international experience with Pakistan burnished by stints in the Pakistan Super League – most recently as head coach at Islamabad United. As an interim assistant coach at Surrey, he has taken on Overton as a personal project and early results, after a little technical tweaking, have been spectacular.”The first thing we did with him was to reduce his run-up,” Mahmood says. “We reduced it from 24 yards or so that it was before to around 18 now. He was losing momentum when he was running in for those last strides to the popping crease, where you actually have to build that momentum up.”Because of that loss in momentum, Mahmood explains, he wasn’t following through towards his target properly. “When you drive your hip through in the action, you transfer weight and bring your hip forward, for the follow-through. He was stopping a little but if you watch now, he gets closer to the batsman. He is taller at the crease now.”Mahmood is meticulous when it comes to thinking through bowling actions, though he’s careful to not tinker too much. His phone is a video treasure trove of bowlers and bowling actions from his work around the world; little tips that he’s given them, minor tweaks he’s made, hours he’s spent just watching and logging.He identified Overton’s run-up as a prime cause for the inconsistency in his release and action, which would result in him often straying down legside. But pre-season work brought some immediate results. After shortening the run-up, Mahmood asked Overton to note how many balls he bowls down the legside. Overton bowled to Hashim Amla in the nets one day for half an hour and Mahmood remembers only two balls that Amla could play through the legside. Amla was impressed and wondered whether Overton could sustain that consistency.Mahmood identified Overton’s run-up as a prime cause for the inconsistency in his release and action, which would result in him often straying down legside•Getty Images”Now you can see, it’s half a season gone and he’s been sustaining it,” Mahmood said. “Because of his pace that inconsistency can creep in. At that pace, a good day can be a great day, but a bad day a very poor one. If you’re slightly off line at that pace, you go for runs. Jamie’s getting that consistency now. He’s still a work in progress. That will keep going. But this season I think people have seen the best of him.”Mahmood remembers, in particular, Overton’s first game this season. Having been rested for tactical reasons for Surrey’s season-opener, Overton blew away Hampshire with an eight-wicket haul at The Oval. The performance had all the classic really fast-bowling dismissals: an outswinger that hit the stumps, bouncers from round the wicket, yorkers and then, a sustained short-pitched attack in the second innings. The speed gun, Mahmood says, clocked him at 92mph at one point.The one wicket he recalls, though, is from the Somerset game: Matt Renshaw bowled from over the wicket, leaving a full ball that swung in late and quick. ” [blew away his sticks],” Mahmood says.Mahmood has been almost as excited by Overton’s batting this season, not least in a game against Kent where he watched in awe as Overton hit a 92-ball 93. He sees a bit of himself in the batting: Mahmood hit three Test hundreds, all against strong South African attacks, two in South Africa and from seven and eight in the order. He averaged nearly 32 in first-class cricket.”I spoke to him about his batting,” he says. “I said you remind me of myself, you have exactly the role I used to have. To help build an innings lower down in the order. I said to him this is the role. With that batting this guy can be one of the best allrounders in the world.”I really haven’t done that much with him. Jamie Overton is special. He is a diamond. All we’ve done is to cut and polish him a little.”
Half-centuries from Sidra Ameen and Bismah Maroof helped Pakistan seal a crushing eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first of three ODIs at Karachi. After Sri Lanka were bowled out for 169, thanks to a sensational spell from Ghulam Fatima, who took four wickets for 21, the batters made light work of the chase, getting to the target with 8.1 overs to spare. It included a 143-run stand between Ameen and Maroof, with Ameen dismissed for 76 just two runs from victory, while Maroof finished undefeated on 62.As with the T20I series, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat once more, but immediately ran into problems owing to a slow start and the early fall of Hasini Perera to a run-out, the malaise that had gripped Sri Lanka in the final T20 showing no signs of easing. Chamari Athapaththu and Hansima Karunaratne rebuilt, but saw their gritty work undone when both fell within an over off each other.It was a theme that would repeat itself throughout the innings. Prasadani Weerakkody and Nilakshi de Silva would combine for a 50-run partnership, finding regular boundaries and pushing up the scoring rate. But just when it appeared as if Sri Lanka were building a platform, Ghulam and Iqbal struck again, getting rid of the settled pair within three balls of each other. Ghulam followed up by knocking back Oshadi Ranasinghe’s stumps the very next ball, the batter leaving a straight one to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 96 for six.It might have ended a lot sooner than it ultimately did but for Kavisha Dilhari, whose breezy, languid strokeplay helped her side pick up valuable runs, giving herself and her bowling partners a semblance of a competitive total to bowl at. Two fours off Iqbal set the tone, before Maroof and Diana Baig were each shown the long handle. Nida Dar was smashed for six as Dilhari fats approached a half-century she richly deserved, only for her to run out of partners as Fatima Sana wrapped up the tail at the other end, leaving Dilhari stranded on an unbeaten 50-ball 49.The defence from Sri Lanka began inauspiciously as Kumari started with five wides before the first legal delivery was dispatched away for four. It might have heralded a quick finish, but Sri Lanka responded with their best passage of play, keeping Pakistan on a leash throughout the Powerplay and picking up the wicket of Muneeba Ali when she top-edged a sweep off Achini Kulasuriya.That might have intensified the pressure on Pakistan, not that Ameen or Maroof let it show. Ameen timed a couple of exquisite consecutive covers drives for four in the 10th over, and that appeared to break the shackles for Pakistan once and for all. Maroof got into the act with two boundaries in the 13th over, and by now even the asking rate was trending downwards.Sri Lanka tried both seam and spin, but couldn’t quite muster the discipline of those early overs. The lines were errant, the lengths failed to penetrate and the intensity simply couldn’t be cranked up. With each run, a below-par total began to look less intimidating, and for much of the last hour, it was more of a procession than a chase. Maroof’s 16th ODI half-century, as well as Ameen’s fourth, served to rubberstamp Pakistan’s dominance, suggesting the upper hand Pakistan enjoyed in the T20Is has very much carried over into the ODI series.
Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign an “absolute monster” in a swap deal, with the player believed to be keen on the move, according to a report.
Man Utd pursuing a striker
Man United are now pushing to bring in a new striker this month, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen now on their list of targets, and there has recently been a positive update on their pursuit of the Nigerian, as he is said to be determined to move to Old Trafford.
FC Porto’s Samu Omorodion is also under consideration, having sent scouts to watch the striker in action against Boavista, and he is likely to have caught the eye, netting twice in a 4-0 victory to help continue his side’s title charge.
Just a few days ago, it emerged that United could look to make a move for Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic this month, with journalist Enrico Camelio explaining that a deal could be possible, should Joshua Zirkzee be sent in the opposite direction.
INEOS working on transfer for £75m star who wants Man Utd move this month
It would be some coup…
ByBarney Lane Jan 6, 2025
Now, the Red Devils have been handed the opportunity to make that deal a reality, with TEAMtalk reporting that Juventus have now made an official cash-plus-player offer.
There are signs that a deal could have a good chance of coming to fruition, too, as both players have given the green light to moving, with Zirkzee struggling to adapt to life in the Premier League since arriving from Bologna in the summer.
TEAMtalk relay a previous valuation of the Juventus striker from CaughtOffside, which suggests he could be worth €65m (£54m), with United required to pay a fee to bring the combined value of their player and the money to a suitable amount.
Vlahovic is an upgrade on Zirkzee
Members of the Italian media have lauded the Serbian as an “absolute monster”, and for good reason, given that his record in front of goal in the Serie A is very impressive, with his most prolific season coming in 2020-21 for Fiorentina, netting 21 times.
Statistic (per 90)
Joshua Zirkzee
Dusan Vlahovic
Non-penalty goals
0.26
0.61
Assists
0.17
0.12
Shot-creating actions
3.26
2.27
Successful take-ons
1.55
0.44
As shown, the Juventus star has a better eye for goal than the Dutchman, scoring more than double the number of non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, but his all-round game isn’t as strong.
As such, if Ruben Amorim wants a proven goalscorer, who does not offer much else to the team, it is worth considering Juventus’ proposal of a swap deal, but Zirkzee is likely to help the team in different ways. Osimhen should be United’s priority target, given that his all-round game is a lot better than Vlahovic’s, while also averaging more non-penalty goals over the past year.
Although Zirkzee has failed to deliver so far, it seems a little premature to let him leave this winter, especially considering Vlahovic is not the best striker United are currently linked with, meaning there is no pressing need to accept a swap deal.
Tottenham Hotspur have expressed their interest in signing a new centre-back who they could get for a relatively cheap fee, with manager Ange Postecoglou making moves to reinforce his disjointed backline.
Tottenham without van de Ven, Romero and Davies until late January
Spurs will have to cope without their trio of first-choice centre-backs in Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies for even more time as they face a plethora of looming back-to-back January fixtures.
Tottenham now exploring January move for England int'l to replace Forster
Ange Postecoglou is looking to replace his goalkeeper.
ByDominic Lund Jan 3, 2025
Postecoglou has just days in between each game to prepare throughout this month, as the Lilywhites prepare for a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, Tamworth in the FA Cup, a North London Derby away to Arsenal, Everton at home, Hoffenheim in the Europa League, Leicester City and Elfsborg.
Arsenal (away)
January 15
Everton (away)
January 19
Leicester City (home)
January 26
Brentford (away)
February 2
Man United (home)
February 16
The matches are coming thick and fast for Spurs, and they’ll have to play most of them minus van de Ven, Romero and Davies, with Postecoglou confirming that the three senior defenders won’t return until late January.
“Yeah, at this stage, Richy and Mikey will be the next two off the rank,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news before their clash with Newcastle.
“Hopefully next week at some point, and then Ben, Micky van de Van and Romero, all kind of around the same time, so that back end of January, they’re all sort of slated to return.”
While Tottenham are closing in on a deal for Slavia Prague goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky,their lack of options in defence has prompted many reports that Spurs could look to bring in another centre-half as well before the end of this month, and many interesting names have been linked.
Borussia Moenchengladbach'sKoItakuracelebrates scoring their first goal with Borussia Moenchengladbach's Tim Kleindienst
RC Lens starlet Abdukodir Khusanov, Leeds United star Pascal Struijk, Feyenoord stalwart David Hancko, PSG’s Milan Skriniar, Getafe’s Omar Alderete, Inter Milan sensation Yann Bisseck and Borussia Mönchengladbach stalwart Ko Itakura are all centre-backs reportedly on Tottenham’s radar, as technical director Johan Lange seeks to bolster Postecoglou’s back line.
Itakura could be available at a cut-price for Spurs in January, as his contract expires in the summer of 2026, so the Japan international could be an attractive option.
Tottenham could sign Udinese defender Kristensen for just £14 million
However, he isn’t their only prudent target, as it is believed Udinese colossus Thomas Kristensen is attracting serious interest from N17.
That is according to Messaggero Veneto, as translated by Sport Witness, who claim that Tottenham are eyeing a January move for Kristensen, and his club are prepared to let him leave this month for just £14 million.
Thomas Kristensen for Udinese.
The 6 foot 6 Denmark Under-21 international was one of Udinese’s best-performing players by average match rating throughout the entirety of 2023/2024, according to WhoScored, and his age indicates that there is scope for him to improve even more.
Once van de Ven and Romero return, he would also have to contend with a more bit-part role, so Spurs won’t want to splash the cash on a too illustrious defender in a bid not to upset the apple cart. However, they do face competition from Leicester City to secure a deal for the Dane.
No objetivo de expandir a marca de forma internacional, o Botafogo promoveu um encontro com um importante dirigente do Lyon-FRA. Durcesio Mello, presidente do Alvinegro, recepcionouJean-François Vulliez, diretor das categorias de base dos Dougues, no Estádio Nilton Santos na última segunda-feira.
RelacionadasBotafogoMaratona: Botafogo encara mais de 10 mil km em semana repleta de viagensBotafogo19/04/2022BotafogoLucas Fernandes explica motivos para fechar com o Botafogo: ‘O projeto é muito bom e sério’Botafogo19/04/2022BotafogoO 10 chegou! Gustavo Sauer valoriza história do Botafogo: ‘Sonho a se tornar realidade’Botafogo19/04/2022
+ Erison iguala marca de Loco Abreu e entra em seleta lista de mais rápidos a marcar 10 gols pelo Botafogo
O executivo conheceu parte das instalações do Alvinegro e conversou com o mandatário entre o fim da manhã e começo da tarde.
O lateral-direito Rafael, que atuou no Lyon entre 2015 e 2019, também participou do encontro.Jean-François Vulliez é o chefe das categorias de base, considerada uma das melhores do mundo – o clube francês, por exemplo, revelou recentemente nomes como Houssem Aouar, Alexandre Lacazette e Nabil Fékir.
Durcesio Mello compartilhou uma foto do encontro nas redes sociais. O presidente do Alvinegro recebeu uma camisa do Lyon de presente das mãos do executivo francês.
Despite picking up a gigantic 11 draws from 21 Championship contests so far this season, Carlos Corberan’s West Bromwich Albion are still very much in the conversation for promotion.
The Baggies’ 2-1 loss to Watford last weekend was amazingly their first defeat in 13 games, as Tom Cleverley’s Hornets just about got the better of the stern away side through a Vakoun Bayo brace.
Corberan will want his troops to immediately bounce back when Bristol City travel to the Hawthorns this coming Sunday, but will know this clash will be yet another contest that Daryl Dike won’t be deemed fit for as his nightmare in the West Midlands goes on.
Dike's continued injury issues
Dike hasn’t donned a Baggies strip since going down with an unfortunate Achilles tendon injury versus Ipswich Town back in February, with the American well-known to those in the treatment room at this point.
Staggeringly, the ex-Barnsley man has been absent for a colossal 117 games due to recurring injury troubles since making a bumper £7m move a reality.
Thankfully, Corberan has been able to rely on the likes of Josh Maja and Karlan Grant to fire in the goals this season whilst Dike remains sidelined, with Maja boasting ten goals on his own in the Championship whilst Grant has an ever-growing five next to his name.
The Spaniard will be glad that this duo in question have found their shooting boots, having had to wave goodbye to Brandon Thomas-Asante this summer after he switched allegiances to Coventry City.
But, that sale doesn’t hurt as much now when you consider Thomas-Asante’s ongoing struggles with the Sky Blues.
Thomas-Asante's time at West Brom
The ex-Salford City attacker was a top performer for West Brom on his day, with the 25-year-old wearing the tag of being the club’s top scorer last season in the second tier when powering home 11 strikes.
In total, Thomas-Asante would score 21 times for Corberan’s men across 78 games, which would pique the interest of fellow Championship side Coventry this summer on their hunt for some fresh blood up top.
In the end, Thomas-Asante would live up to then West Brom manager Steve Bruce’s glowing words after his arrival at the club in 2022, who stated that the striker would be of “great value” as a “young” and “hungry” option to call upon.
But, although Bruce was ultimately justified in dishing out these compliments, the Ghanaian has since gone on to look goal-shy in his new surroundings, whilst Corberan and Co simply just get on with business with Maja and Grant to call upon.
Stats (*per game)
Thomas-Asante
Maja
Grant
Games (starts)
20 (7)
21 (21)
21 (19)
Goals
1
10
5
Assists
1
2
2
Big chances missed
1
10
3
Shots*
1.0
1.8
2.0
Minutes per goal
794
167
314
Key passes*
0.4
0.9
1.0
Big chances created*
1
6
4
Touches*
12.3
27.0
35.3
Worryingly for the 25-year-old, he has only been able to find the back of the net once from 20 clashes in the league this season, with that solitary strike coming all the way back in October versus Blackburn Rovers.
To pile on the misery even more, Thomas-Asante – as per Transfermarkt – has a lesser transfer value than the aforementioned Dike, with the ex-West Brom man only worth £2.4m when contrasted next to his injury-prone counterpart’s slightly higher £2.6m price tag.
Dike will pray that he can make a miraculous recovery from injury soon to become a key part of Corberan’s side again, but Thomas-Asante – on the contrary – will worry that his game-time at Coventry will only lessen now with Frank Lampard in charge.
Whilst it could’ve been a sale that damaged the Baggies severely, the promotion chasers show no visible scars from the departure now, as another playoff finish continues to be eyed up.
Forget Maja: Corberan could have found West Brom’s next Thomas-Asante
West Bromwich Albion could now have a new Brandon Thomas-Asante in their ranks.