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Tottenham Hotspur are fifth in the Premier League after 20 matches and have a five-point cushion over sixth-placed West Ham United, with Arsenal just one point ahead in the top four.

It's a testament to the progress under Ange Postecoglou that Spurs have endured bumps in the road but remain in contention for a successful season, but, with the Australian manager handing technical director Johan Lange a shopping list comprised of multiple targets, the January transfer window must be used to strengthen the squad and deepen the ranks.

Spurs transfer news – Dan Neil

According to a recent report from Sunderland Nation, the Championship side face an arduous task in retaining midfielder Dan Neil's services this month, with numerous Premier League clubs eyeing a deal.

Tottenham are at the front of the transfer battle but are joined in their interest by Arsenal and Liverpool, with the 22-year-old enjoying another sensational season in England's second tier.

Dan Neil's season by numbers

Having already chalked up 131 senior appearances for Sunderland after graduating from the academy, Neil has established himself as a key component of the squad.

Having started 42 times in the Championship as Sunderland pushed for promotion (unsuccessfully) last year, he has taken the next step in his development this season and is comfortably one of the most exciting midfield talents in the division.

As per Sofascore, the enterprising ace has started 25 matches this term, scoring four goals and supplying three assists. The youngster has proven to be the all-round package from the middle of the park, completing 90% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 5.2 ball recoveries per game while also succeeding with 57% of his dribbles.

How Dan Neil compares to Dele Alli

Described as a "starry-eyed kid" by former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson, Neil is one of the Championship's finest passers and ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across divisions similar to the English second-flight for pass completion, the top 13% for attempted passes and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

He was also claimed to be the "standout player of the season" in 2022 by Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips after, aged just 20, he played a pivotal role in promotion from League One.

A strong passer and relentless tackler, the 5 foot 10 Neil is the kind of multi-functional midfielder that Postecoglou could sculpt into a true world-beater down the N17, and while the player will be desperate to engineer a return to the top-flight for Sunderland, should they fail in their endeavour it is only a matter of time before the allure of the Premier League proves too much to resist.

And if Tottenham were to complete a swoop, they may even repeat the past feat of signing Dele Alli, who likewise joined Spurs from the EFL. On that occasion, it was League One outfit MK Dons who racked in a big fee, with Alli moving on in 2015 for just £5m.

While Alli has fallen from grace over the past few years, there is no question that he enjoyed one of the most prodigious rises to the top in Premier League history, scoring 37 goals and supplying 29 assists across his first three campaigns.

Tottenham beat Liverpool to the England international's signature way back when, and while he was a more offensive midfielder than Neil, the feat could be repeated here, signing a talented English midfielder from a lower-league team and turning him into a sparkling gem.

Jason Behrendorff hasn’t arrived in India yet, while Lasith Malinga and Adam Milne are already unavailable for the two-time champions

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Mar-20195:33

Yet to talk to SLC about Malinga’s unavailability – Jayawardene

Big PictureAfter 11 seasons of disappointment, disillusionment, and discarding countless players who have gone on to become superstars in other teams, Delhi Daredevils have put their faith in the power of the makeover, and rebranded themselves – they are now Delhi Capitals. Give them some time if that name rolls a little awkwardly off your tongue right now, but they will not want to take too much time to get into gear on the field.Their opponents on Sunday, Mumbai Indians, are renowned for their slow starts, but Delhi have been no better. The two teams have the joint-worst win percentage (36.40) of all the current IPL teams in season-opening matches, having each won four out of 11 so far. Mumbai are known for rebounding spectacularly from sluggish starts, but they couldn’t quite manage it last season, finishing fifth on the points table. Delhi did even worse, ending up rock bottom with only five wins. Both teams, therefore, are looking for a fresh start.With the World Cup squad announcement deadline (April 23) exactly a month away, the players will also want to begin the IPL brightly, particularly those whose ODI spots aren’t entirely certain. Among India players, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, the latter mostly for fitness reasons, belong in that category, and a great start to the IPL could be just the push they need.In the news Mumbai’s overseas pace stocks have taken a hit with a heel injury ruling Adam Milne out for the entire season and Lasith Malinga possibly missing their first six matches to play domestic 50-overs cricket and keep himself in contention for a World Cup place. They will be without another of their overseas fast-bowling options for this game, with Jason Behrendorff not having arrived in India yet. Chris Morris won’t be available for Delhi since he’s in South Africa’s squad for Sunday’s third T20I against Sri Lanka. Kagiso Rabada (Delhi) and Quinton de Kock (Mumbai), however, are in India and have trained with their respective teams. Rohit Sharma batted at Nos. 3 or 4 through most of a disappointing 2018 campaign with the bat. This year, however, he has promised he will open in “all the games”. Hardik Pandya is returning from a lower-back issue that kept him out of the ODIs and T20Is against Australia at home. Mumbai coach Mahela Jayawardene insisted on Saturday that Hardik was “200% fit”.Likely XIsMumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk)/Evin Lewis, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4, Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ben Cutting, 9 Mitchell McClenaghan, 10 Mayank Markande, 11 Jasprit BumrahDelhi Capitals: 1 Colin Munro, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Shikhar Dhawan, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 Sandeep Lamichhane, 9 Kagiso Rabada/Trent Boult, 10 Avesh Khan/Amit Mishra, 11 Ishant SharmaRishabh Pant completes a stumping of Evin Lewis•BCCIStrategy punt Kagiso Rabada or Trent Boult? A difficult question for Delhi to answer, but it becomes easier when you know who the main threat in the opposition’s top order is. In six meetings in T20 cricket, Rohit Sharma has faced 18 balls from Boult, scoring 24 runs off them while being dismissed three times. He’s done better against Rabada: 24 off 20 balls with one dismissal, and has performed better against right-arm pace (average 34.1, SR 145.8) than left-arm pace (average 21.8, SR 141.9) in T20s since the start of 2015. Prithvi Shaw is destructive against pace: he averages 44.3 and has a strike rate of 162.4 against the quicks in T20 cricket. Against spin, though, he only averages 13.6 while striking at 128.3. Mumbai don’t have too much depth in the spin department, but they could call upon Krunal Pandya or Mayank Markande for an over or two in the Powerplay against Shaw.Stats that matter Mumbai and Delhi have met 22 times in the IPL, and have won 11 games each. Delhi won both their meetings last season, Jason Roy sealing a last-ball finish at Wankhede Stadium and legspinners Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane combining to knock Mumbai out of contention for the playoffs in Delhi. Rohit has only opened 19 times in his IPL career, and at the top of the order has achieved his best average (40.9) at any position, and his second-best strike rate (131.8). Sunday’s match will be Rohit’s 300th T20 appearance. Teams winning the toss chose to bowl in all nine matches at the Wankhede last season, but teams batting first didn’t do too badly, winning four times. If he plays, Ishant Sharma will play an IPL match for the first time since May 2017, when he featured for Rising Pune Supergiant against Kings XI Punjab. Jasprit Bumrah has an exceptional T20 record against Pant, having dismissed him three times in 17 balls across five meetings, while conceding only eight runs.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on midfielder Jorginho after the Italian signed a new contract.

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32-year-old extended stay until 2025Has been a key player at Arsenal this seasonLabelled a leader on the pitchWHAT HAPPENED?

The Arsenal head coach has given a glowing review to former Chelsea man Jorginho days after he signed a contract extension at the club. Arteta's midfield general reportedly turned down a move back to Serie A this summer to remain in North London and is hoping to cap off a positive campaign with the Premier League title.

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Speaking to club media, the Spaniard said: "He’s someone who makes everybody better – that’s his main quality. He’s still hungry, he wants to win, he wants to win with us, he's happy here and his family is happy here, so for us it was a really easy decision.

"He is a very important player for all the coaches because his game understanding and the way he communicates and coaches people is excellent. When he needs to be at it and serious and drive people with him he does it, and when it needs fun and a relaxing atmosphere, he is one of the best. It's a good combination."

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It takes something special to give Manchester City a run for their money but Arteta has assembled a squad capable of challenging for the top honours and Jorginho has been a huge part of that. The Champions League winner has made 23 Premier League appearances this term and has patrolled the pitch to perfection, helping the Gunners maintain the best defensive record in the league.

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Jorginho will be hoping to turn a good week into a great one when Arsenal travel to Manchester United for their penultimate game of the season. A win will keep them on top of the table until City play their game in hand against Tottenham on Tuesday night.

Pakistan, meanwhile, are experimenting with their squad and while that is necessary their performance in Sharjah on Friday was rather listless

The preview by Daniel Brettig23-Mar-2019Big PictureAustralia’s win on Friday not only provided a further indicator that the team of Aaron Finch and Justin Langer is now humming nicely as the World Cup draws closer, but also overturned a few preconceptions about the series. A comfortable chase of 281, the second-highest ever in Sharjah, despite the surfeit of ODI matches played there over the years, indicated that high scoring and aggressive batsmanship will be required on surfaces that offer little more than a hint of slow spin and little to nothing for the pacemen.Equally, the expectations of the Australians that Pakistan would seek to take down the spin of Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon was somewhat confounded by the fact that this increasingly confident duo were able to dictate economical terms throughout large chunks of the Pakistan innings. Creating and sustaining tempo will be critical to this series, both with the bat and in the field. Australia were energy personified in the field – if not completely spotless – while Zampa and Lyon were able to control the pace of Pakistan’s scoring in such a way that Finch never looked too perturbed by the the run rate. His confidence was evident in the chase, where once again Australia controlled the tempo of the innings expertly, scoring regular boundaries without ever looking like they were trying too hard to force things.For Pakistan, there will be concerns that despite a serviceable-enough batting performance, the bowlers lacked the incisiveness to defend it while the fielding display bordered at times on the listless. Mohammad Amir was particularly expensive, while Mohammad Abbas was unable to exert quite the same measure of control he enjoyed over Finch and the Australians during the October Test series in the UAE. More, too, will be expected of Yasir Shah, who played only a brief role in the 2015 World Cup, and with more days like game one, he might be in danger of a similar fringe post in 2019.Form guide Australia WWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan LLWLLShoaib Malik carves a shot through the off side•Getty ImagesIn the spotlightAs the stand-in captain, Shoaib Malik will be hoping for a more substantial contribution than his seven-ball 11 with the bat and one expensive over with the ball in the series opener. More vitally, Shoaib must find a way to marshal and enliven his team, after they appeared to be lacking verve and direction for much of a chase where the Australians never looked under any serious pressure despite the fact that the chase got over only in the penultimate over. A promotion in the batting order may be one way for Shoaib to dictate terms a little more.With a determined – if not exactly fluent – 91 not-out, Shaun Marsh added further to the selection logjam faced by Australia with Steven Smith and David Warner soon to be eligible for national duty following their Newlands scandal bans. The key to Marsh being able to secure a spot in the World Cup squad after his recent travails will be consistency – making scores in more matches than this one. Seldom has this been a strength for Marsh, meaning he will battle the voices between his ears as much as the threats posed by the Pakistan attack.Team newsPakistan are taking the opportunity to experiment ahead of the World Cup. Abid Ali, Mohammad Hasnain and Saad Ali could all be in line for debuts at some point, but when that happens over the course of this series remains to be seen.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Shan Masood, 3 Umar Akmal, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Mohammad Amir/Usman Shinwari, 11 Mohammad HasnainPat Cummins was rested for the opening match as his workload is managed ahead of the World Cup and the Ashes, but he could come back into consideration. Most of the players in the squad can expect some game time during the series as Australia firm up their World Cup squad, so room may also be found for Ashton Turner.Australia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Peter Handscomb, 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Ashton Turner, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Jhye Richardson, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsAs seen in game one, Sharjah’s surface is dry, slow and low, offering little in the way of assistance to bowlers but also posing some challenges to batsmen in terms of timing the ball. The weather forecast is fine.Stats and trivia Australia haven’t won five ODIs in succession since they were victorious in nine in a row in 2015, including their World Cup winning run that year Pakistan haven’t beaten Australia in an ODI in Sharjah since the final of the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah in May 1990. Australia haven’t lost to any team in Sharjah since India defeated them at the ground in 1998.Quotes”It was just nice to do it two down and do it a bit more clinically than what we have over the last few months, when we’ve been in that situation. They’re sometimes the best innings you’ll play as a batsman, when things aren’t going your way. It wasn’t an innings where he [Marsh] hit the middle of the bat and it was free flowing from the start. For him to grind out the first 30 or 40 runs to find his rhythm was really important.”

An English Premier League attacker is keen on securing a move to Rangers, according to an update from journalist Sacha Tavolieri, with the player in question "proposed to the club".

Rangers transfer news

The Gers may have lost last weekend's Old Firm derby, but they still find themselves at the heart of the Scottish Premiership title race, sitting eight points behind their arch-rivals, but with two games in hand. Philippe Clement continues to do a good job since replacing Michael Beale, even if things haven't necessarily gone perfectly so far, and the future looks bright for the Ibrox side, who also remain in the Europa League.

For things to keep heading in the right direction, however, Rangers may need to bring in reinforcements during the January transfer window, and plenty of players have been linked with moves to the club.

Latest Rangers transfer news: Gers want PL teen; Saudi link to midfield ace

Who is Philippe Clement eyeing up in the transfer window ahead of his first full season at Ibrox?

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 9, 2024

Everton duo Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate have both emerged as potential options to further shore up the defence, while young Liverpool left-back Owen Beck is another player who has been linked with a switch to the Gers. The 21-year-old recently returned to Anfield after a loan spell at Dundee during the first half of the season.

While Rangers are showing an interest in bringing certain players to the club, it looks as though one individual openly wants a move to Ibrox, following a fresh update that has emerged.

Emmanuel Dennis wants Rangers move

Taking to X on Friday, reporter Tavolieri claimed that Emmanuel Dennis likes the idea of joining Rangers, with the attacker currently on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir from Nottingham Forest.

"Emmanuel Dennis has been proposed to the club but there hasn’t been an official approach as of now. I can confirm the player’s interest for Rangers, though."

Dennis could be exactly what Rangers are after in the attacking third between now and the end of the season, providing them with the extra firepower that could be so crucial in the title race. The 26-year-old is someone with proven top-flight experience, scoring 12 goals and registering eight assists in 52 appearances in the English Premier League, with former Leicester City and Watford manager Claudio Ranieri has hailed him in the past, saying:

"[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players."

Only Abdallah Sima and James Tavernier are in double figures for goals for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership this season, but Dennis is someone who could ease that goalscoring issue and make key contributions as the big matches arrive during the business end of the campaign, giving Clement a much-needed extra attacking option.

Clement could land an ideal Jack replacement in Rangers move for 25 y/o gem

Rangers are eyeing up a South American midfielder who can replace Ryan Jack.

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 6, 2024

Dennis' aforementioned experience in British football means he shouldn't struggle with the pace of the Scottish game, and at 26, he is somebody who could be a force at the club for a number of years should he arrive on a permanent basis at some point this month, though a move seems some way off for the moment.

Luka Modric has reportedly communicated his decision about his future to Real Madrid amid contract impasse.

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Modric's contract is valid until June 30A new deal is yet to be pennedMidfielder willing to extend his stay at RealWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Ballon d'Or winner's future hangs in the balance as Real Madrid are set to embark on a new era fuelled by fresh blood in midfield. The 39-year-old has spent over a decade at the Santiago Bernabeu but his minutes have waned in the current season under Carlo Ancelotti which has raised further concerns about his stay. However, the Croatian continues to be a crucial cog for Los Blancos and has shown that he can still turn the tide after coming on from the bench in important fixtures – as was evident against Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal tie.

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According to Modric has already "informed Real Madrid of his desire to stay at the club and sign a new contract." The Croatian is not concerned about his wages and has already turned down two massive offers as he awaits a response from the Real Madrid hierarchy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although Modric has made 43 appearances this season across competitions for Real, only 25 of them have been starts – an unimpressive figure given his high standards. However, the club faithful want him to stay and were spotted singing chants while Real Madrid gathered at the Cibeles to celebrate their 36th league championship triumph.

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There have been reports suggesting that Real Madrid would hand both Modric and Toni Kroos fresh deals. The club is currently mulling over the possibility of holding on to both midfield veterans as Ancelotti has allegedly put his weight behind the duo.

However, any decision is likely to be reached after the Champions League final as Los Blancos are focused on lifting a record-extending 15th title against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at Wembley.

Manchester United duo Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo made history when they scored in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday.

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Garnacho and Mainoo create historyFirst teenage scorers in FA Cup final since RonaldoMan Utd scored twice in first halfWHAT HAPPENED?

Garnacho opened the scoring at the half-hour mark before Mainoo doubled the team's lead in the 39th minute of the FA Cup final against City. In the process, the duo etched their names in the history books as for the first time in an FA Cup final, two teenagers found the back of the net.

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Garnacho and Mainoo also became the first teenage players to score in an FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo's strike against Millwall in 2004. Mainoo is also the first English teenager to find his name on the scoresheet in the all-important match since West Ham's John Sissons who scored in the 1964 FA Cup final against Preston North End.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mainoo enjoyed a rich vein of form in the 2023-24 campaign with the Red Devils that saw him appear in 35 matches across all competitions where he scored five goals and provided three assists. His impressive show for Erik ten Hag's side earned him a place in Gareth Southgate's preliminary 33-man England squad for the Euro 2024.

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United will aim to hold on to their lead to win their maiden trophy of the season and the second title in the Ten Hag era after the Carabao Cup triumph in the last campaign.

Liverpool have enjoyed a weekend away from the rigours of Premier League football during the first half of the scheduled winter break for top-flight teams.

The Reds are back in action again against Bournemouth next Sunday at the Vitality Stadium and this means that Jurgen Klopp has plenty of time to prepare his side for that match.

With a week to go until that game, there is also the possibility that the German head coach could have a new signing to call upon against the Cherries.

There is nothing reportedly close to happening at the time of writing (14/01/2024) but things can move quickly during a transfer window and the Reds have been touted with an interest in players this month.

The January transfer window opened for business at the start of last week and Liverpool are said to be interested in a deal to sign a young ace from the Serie A.

Liverpool transfer news – Kenan Yildiz

According to the printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (13/01/2024), via TEAMtalk, the Merseyside club are eyeing up a swoop to land Kenan Yildiz from Juventus before the end of the month.

The report claimed that the Reds moved in to sign the Turkish talent as they are keen to bring the young attacker to Anfield to bolster their squad.

However, Juventus turned down their offer, the value of which is currently undisclosed, as they would like to keep hold of the 18-year-old whiz.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reveal that the Old Lady value Yildiz at up to €40m (£34m). However, they are unwilling to cash in on him for any amount in January, and could offer him an extension on his current contract, which is due to expire in the summer of 2027.

The report also added that Juventus 'cheekily' told Liverpool that they would be open to offers for 23-year-old centre-forward Moises Kean, who previously played for Everton.

He has produced zero goals and zero assists in 12 Serie A matches during the 2023/24 campaign, and managed four goals in 39 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees during his time in England.

Klopp should ignore the Italian striker's availability and, instead, push for the club to test Juventus' resolve with Yildiz to see if they can convince them to part ways with the impressive youngster.

Liverpool could land a dream rival for Luis Diaz on the wing, whilst also adding depth in several positions across the frontline, by securing a deal for the £34m-rated wizard – whether that is this month or in the summer.

Luis Diaz's season in numbers

The Colombian international recently scored his sixth goal of the season in all competitions with a thumping strike against Arsenal in the FA Cup.

He rifled his shot into the top right corner of Aaron Ramsdale's goal to seal a 2-0 win over the Gunners and progression through to the fourth round of the competition.

The 27-year-old whiz has produced six goals and two assists in 26 appearances for the Reds this term, as he has struggled to provide consistent quality in the final third.

Diaz has played 19 times in the Premier League so far and chipped in with three goals and one assist in 14 starts, which shows that the former Porto star has not been a regular contributor at the top end of the pitch.

The Reds gem currently ranks within the top 43% of attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals (0.23) per 90 and the bottom 18% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.12) per 90 within the top-flight this season.

Assists (0.08)

Bottom 13%

Progressive passes (3.74)

Top 46%

Progressive carries (3.35)

Top 50%

Successful take-ons (2.03)

Top 24%

Non-penalty xG + xAG (0.43)

Top 43%

These statistics show that Diaz has not been an outstanding performer for Liverpool as a scorer or a creator of goals from the wing so far this term.

This also comes after the 27-year-old forward produced four goals and two assists in 17 Premier League games throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Therefore, Klopp could benefit from bringing in a talented youngster – like Yildiz – who could be a dream rival for his position whilst also being the long-term heir to that position on the left flank.

The statistics that show why Liverpool should sign Yildiz

The 18-year-old starlet is not a player who would be expected to make an immediate impact on the first-team at Anfield to take Diaz's spot during the second half of the season.

He is still in the infancy of his professional career and, instead, would be a signing with an eye on the future, whilst also being able to contribute on some level in the short-term.

Yildiz has made nine Serie A appearances for Juventus so far this season and has chipped in with one goal in three top-flight starts for the Italian giants.

Sofascore rating

7.4

Minutes played

78

Goals

One

Chances created

One

Dribbles completed

One

He has also scored two goals, and completed five dribbles, in two Coppa Italia outings for the Old Lady, which shows that he has the ability to make an impact in the final third at first-team level.

The teenage whiz, who was hailed for his "exceptional" qualities by U23 scout Antonio Mango, earned a shot in the senior squad due to his impressive form in the academy.

Yildiz racked up 12 goals and seven assists in 31 appearances for Juventus' U19 side, having also chipped in with six goals and eight assists in 17 games for Bayern Munich at U17 and U19 level combined earlier in his youth career.

These statistics show that the Liverpool target, who has spent the majority of his playing time as a second striker or as a left winger, has the potential to be a consistent contributor in the final third.

Whereas, Diaz has left a little to be desired in terms of goals and assists over the last 18 months, which is why the signing of Yildiz could provide the Colombian forward with a dream rival for his position.

Klopp could land competition for his current left winger and sign a player with the potential to be a star in the future by convincing Juventus to part ways with him this month.

Ottis Gibson put in a request with CSA to withdraw ‘key players’ early, but ESPNcricinfo understands that the board did not bring up the issue with the BCCI

ESPNcricinfo staff10-May-2019South Africa coach Ottis Gibson put in a request to withdraw “key players” from the IPL in early May to prepare for the World Cup. But Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Thabang Moroe did not bring up the issue with the BCCI, ESPNcricinfo understands, worried of the consequences of doing so.A report by has suggested that the status of India’s scheduled tour to South Africa in 2021-22 may have prompted Moroe’s action – or rather inaction. A tour by India would provide a major financial boost to an organisation that has forecast losses of R 654 million over the next four years, with any change to the scheduling of such a lucrative tour likely to worsen those losses.Captain Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Quinton de Kock and Chris Morris – who replaced the injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa’s World Cup squad earlier this week – are all still in India, with du Plessis and Tahir both part of the Chennai Super Kings squad that will play in Sunday’s final against Mumbai Indians – for whom de Kock plays – after their six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Friday night.ESPNcricinfo LtdBefore the tournament started, CSA had confirmed to the BCCI that its players would be available for the full duration of the IPL. Gibson, however, had requested to CSA that key South Africa players part of the World Cup squad return in the first week of May, which would have likely ruled them out of the IPL playoffs.Kagiso Rabada was also part of Delhi Capitals’ squad until just over a week ago, when he returned to South Africa under something of an injury cloud, having complained of a stiff back and been sent for scans that prompted CSA to call him home. But it is also understood that the return of Rabada from the IPL was not a smooth process. The IPL is understood to have not thought his back issue serious enough to merit an early exit, but CSA’s medical team insisted he return to South Africa after Proteas physio Craig Govender, who happened – by chance – to be travelling through Delhi at the time, saw the scans.For his own part, Rabada said via social media channels that his return was purely “precautionary”.”Ipl was really fun!,” Rabada said on Instagram. “Extremely glad for the opportunity! Sad to leave but good to be home! Bittersweet. Regarding my back, I’m good – precautionary is all.”Imran Tahir is a photographer’s dream•BCCIAt the time of writing, CSA had not responded to ESPNcricinfo’s request for comment on the issue of Gibson’s request to have his players back early, though quoted a spokesperson as saying: “We are not aware of such a request made to the executive.””Our understanding is that, as is the case with New Zealand, the Windies, etcetera, we as CSA do our best to assist our players in maximising their IPL income,” the spokesperson added. “It is only Australia and England who can afford to pull their players out.”The members of the England squad who had been active in the IPL – including Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Sam Billings and Jonny Bairstow – were all directed by the ECB to return to England on or before April 26. The four members of Australia’s World Cup squad who had been part of the league returned by April 30.But, given that the IPL pays national boards a fee for each foreign player taking part in the league, and CSA’s precarious financial position, it was not in a position to risk ruffling any feathers by calling South Africa’s World Cup players back early. CSA said that “discussions” around the departure date of its players from the IPL were still happening in March, and by the middle of April, CSA told ESPNcricinfo, the plan was “for guys who make the final to join us on the 13th.”South Africa’s pre-World Cup camp begins on Sunday, May 12, the day of the IPL final that du Plessis and Tahir will be part of. South Africa will then depart for England on May 19.

Reece James picked up a four-game ban after his second red card of the season and Chelsea tried desperately to overturn the suspension.

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Chelsea make bizarre claim on James ban appealBlues say James was disoriented FA turn down appeal and uphold four-game ban(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

In their penultimate match of the 2023/24 Premier League season, Chelsea saw their captain sent off for a reckless kickout at Brighton's Joao Pedro. The straight red card was his second of the season, which automatically brought about a four-match ban. The suspension was appealed by Chelsea who made a bizarre claim of innocence in defence of the 24-year-old.

AdvertisementWHAT WAS CHELSEA'S CLAIM?

As per an exclusive report by the Daily Mail, Chelsea claimed that James was "disoriented" after being fouled from behind, and Pedro "made contact" first as he sprinted past their captain, adding that "it had not been his intention to harm Mr Pedro, he was simply pushing him away with his foot." The FA dismissed the appeal because they did not find the defender's story to be "persuasive." They also rejected the idea that the defender was disoriented when he caught the Brazilian slightly below the knee, calling the action "unnecessary" and dismissing the idea that he was merely "pushing" Pedro away.

(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Having already missed Chelsea's final clash of the season against Bournemouth, James will now miss the first three games for Chelsea under new manager Enzo Maresca. The Blues announced the signing of the Leicester City manager on Monday after having parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino.

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WHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

The 24-year-old has been plagued by injuries during his career. He played only 10 games for Pochettino lats season and subsequently missed out on a spot in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad for this summer.