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Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign either Bayern Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba or Wolfsburg stopper Micky van de Ven; however, they will only bring one of them into the building at Hotspur Way, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Edmond Tapsoba or Micky van de Ven and Spurs?

According to The Daily Star, Spurs are close to signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Tapsoba this summer as Ange Postecoglou gets to work regarding bringing in arrivals in N17.

The report states that the 24-year-old would pitch up at Tottenham in a deal worth around £25 million and finally bring to a close their long search for a defensive addition.

On the flip side, it has been claimed that Spurs have reached an agreement to acquire Wolfsburg defender Van de Ven for a fee in the region of £30 million.

Postecoglou is said to be a huge admirer of Van de Ven, who is believed to have agreed a five-year contract in north London that will run until 2028.

Football London have revealed that Spurs are set to choose who they believe is the best option to push ahead with and view Tapsoba as a more 'ready-made' arrival due to his 'ability on the ball, strength and acceleration'.

Fulham centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo remains high on a list of prospective candidates to bolster Postecoglou's backline ahead of the new season.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has indicated that only one of Tapsoba or Van de Ven will be brought to Spurs this summer.

Romano stated: “Yeah, for Tottenham, they are still working on both Micky van de Ven and Tapsoba. The idea internally at the club is to just sign one of them.”

Who would be a better fit for Tottenham Hotspur under Ange Postecoglou?

Both players mentioned are of a high calibre and would help to improve Spurs' defence heading into this season; however, only Postecoglou and his recruitment team will know for sure who they prefer.

Comparing both players in key attributes via WhoScored yields mixed results, with both players putting up commendable numbers in different metrics. Van de Ven comes out on top in completed clearances, averaging 3.1 to Tapsoba's three per game in the Bundesliga.

The Dutchman also has a higher pass success rate than Tapsoba, chiming in at 88.3% compared to the latter's 85.% in the German top-flight across 2022/23.

Nevertheless, Tapsoba trumped Van de Ven in successful challenges, interceptions and aerial duels won, making it a tough one to call between two talented defenders.

Last season, Van de Ven made 36 appearances in all competitions for Wolfsburg, registering one goal and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

On the same token, Tapsoba featured on 47 occasions for Bayer Leverkusen and notched two goals and two assists, as per the same outlet.

La Vanguardia via Sport Witness shared quotes from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who stated that he expects Tottenham to find an agreement with the Catalan giants to sign loaner Clement Lenglet, meaning that more reinforcements in Postecoglou's backline could occur in the coming weeks at Hotspur Way.

Bayern Munich are hoping to steal away Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane after being given encouragement in talks with his family, according to Bild journalist Christian Falk.

This how now lead to an official bid of €70m (£60m)plus add-ons, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Another summer, another saga surrounding the future of Kane, coming two years after he was very heavily linked with an exit to treble-winning Premier League champions Man City.

The 29-year-old, who is out of contract in just over a year, is entering the final 12 months of his Spurs deal. While talks have been ongoing over an extension, according to reports, there is still no sign of an official announcement confirming fresh terms.

Kane, as a result, could leave the north London club for free in 2024 – a situation which has alerted many top clubs both domestically and abroad.

Manchester United, in their hunt to sign a star striker and guaranteed goal-getter for manager Erik ten Hag, have been credited with a serious interest in the forward.

Chelsea are also linked, but perhaps the real danger comes from Europe, with continental heavyweights Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris-Saint Germain targeting Kane.

The aforementioned sides are after classic number nines to provide an injection of quality in the attacking areas, and Kane more-than fits the bill for them.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, though, appears determined to keep his prized asset and could demand as much as £100 million in one up front payment for the Lilywhites superstar.

Writing in a column for CaughtOffside, German transfer journalist Falk has shared an update on Kane's future, as Bayern are still hopeful they can somehow pull off a move.

This comes after talks with the player's family, who have given encouragement to Bayern that Kane could be open to joining them.

“Bayern are hoping to still sign Harry Kane this summer," wrote Falk.

"Thomas Tuchel is not just dreaming of one striker – he would love to have two new strikers, which is a big challenge for the bosses.

“There are talks with Harry Kane’s family and I think they get the idea that he’s thinking about moving. The message from the Kane family is that he’s still thinking about going to the Bundesliga.”

Following this, Ornstein wrote in The Athletic: "Bayern Munich have submitted a formal offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

The 29-year-old has a year remaining on his current contract with the Premier League club."

How many goals has Harry Kane scored?

Kane, over a truly phenomenal career, has managed to become both Tottenham and England's all-time top goalscorers – racking up 280 for Spurs at club level and 58 for his country

The Three Lions star surpassed the legendary Jimmy Greaves to that landmark at Spurs, while Kane also usurped Wayne Rooney at the top of England's scoring charts.

If Bayern were to somehow steal the "world class" attacker away from Tottenham, it could be billed as the signing of this summer window.

Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann has said Glenn Maxwell was never in contention for the Adelaide Test against South Africa because he had not made enough big scores in recent seasons. On Thursday, Maxwell expressed his disappointment that he had been overlooked for the Adelaide Test, and also that he had been stuck batting behind wicketkeeper and captain Matthew Wade in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield side this year.His comments have drawn the ire of Victoria team-mate Rob Quiney, who said Maxwell had displayed “not the greatest attitude” and needed to “lip it and just make some runs”. And Lehmann, who has the task of coaching Maxwell and Wade during the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, said Maxwell needed more runs in order to push for Test selection.”No. Because he hasn’t made 100 for the last two years. You need to make 100,” Lehmann said in Sydney on Friday when asked if Maxwell had been close to a call-up in Adelaide. “Are you going to pick a bloke that hasn’t made 100 for two years?”It is true that Maxwell has not made a Sheffield Shield century since February 2014, when he struck two in succession, although his limited-overs commitments for Australia mean he has played in only nine completed Shield games since then. He also posted a first-class 140 for Yorkshire in the County Championship in August last year.Lehmann said that while it was disappointing that Maxwell had chosen a public forum for his comments on batting below Wade, he was confident the Australian camp could put the problem behind them.”We’re obviously disappointed but we’ll work through those issues,” Lehmann said. “We’re confident they can work together.”Meanwhile Quiney, who has not played a Sheffield Shield match this summer, pulled no punches when asked about Maxwell’s comments on Wade and the batting order.”I think he needs to lip it and just make some runs,” Quiney said on radio on Friday. “Victoria are flying at the moment, but he’s not setting the world on fire himself. He’s actually only batted at six twice so I don’t know where this has come from. It’s good that he’s honest, unfortunately it’s probably not the greatest attitude to have, I reckon.”Former Victoria captain Darren Berry also slammed Maxwell’s decision to make such comments in public, telling radio: “That’s ‘me, me, me’ stuff isn’t it? It’s a team sport and he’s batting at six. Cameron White’s batting behind him at seven. Cameron White didn’t come out and criticise Matthew Wade […] you just don’t do it.”It has been a fraught year for Maxwell, who has not been part of Australia’s ODI XI since June in the West Indies, despite being named the team’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in January. He also asked for a transfer to New South Wales during the off-season but was blocked by Victoria, who then left him out of their XI for the first Shield match of the summer.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Jon-Russ Jaggesar headlined West Indies A’s dominant bowling display with career-best List A figures of 4 for 29•WICB Media/LMA Photography

West Indies A’s bowlers combined to pick up a 165-run win in the first unofficial ODI against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla. The win was set up by their new-ball pair of Ronsford Beaton and Delorn Johnson, whose early strikes broke the back of Sri Lanka’s chase of 268. Offspinner Jon-Russ Jaggesar then accelerated Sri Lanka A’s slide with wickets of the middle and lower order; he finished with career-best figures of 4 for 29 as Sri Lanka A were bowled out for 102.After electing to bat, West Indies A compiled 267 over two days, as rain intervened to push the match into a reserve day, just 12.5 overs into the innings. The innings was built around three important contributions. Opening batsman Kyle Hope set up the platform by holding his end amid frequent strikes. He top-scored with 81. West Indies A captain Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell provided the late thrust with half-centuries.West Indies A began the reserve day on 69 for 2. Hope resumed on 28, with Andre Fletcher, on 7, for company. The two added another 42 for the third wicket, before Fletcher fell to the left-arm spin of Milinda Siriwardana. Hope added 63 with Mohammed for the fourth wicket before being bowled by Amila Aponso, the left-arm spinner. By that time, he had got to his second half-century and his List A career-best score. Powell then joined Mohammed and slammed 55 off just 35 balls, hitting three fours and as many sixes. Both Mohammed and Powell fell in the last over, but their efforts had helped West Indies A slap 93 in the last 10 overs.Beaton and Johnson took the first four wickets within seven overs of the chase to leave Sri Lanka A reeling at 26 for 4. Jaggesar entered the wickets column when he broke a 23-run fifth-wicket stand – the highest Sri Lanka A could put together – by dismissing Minod Bhanuka. He added the scalps of Chartih Aslanka and Dasun Shanaka to his name as the slide continued. Shehan Jayasuriya top-scored with 24 at No. 8, but that was of little significance to the result.Beaton finished with 3 for 26 in 6.3 overs – his best in List A – and Johnson finished with 2 for 19 in four overs. The second match takes place in Kurunegala on Thursday, before the series concludes with the third and final game on Sunday in Colombo.

Chelsea's relentless transfer pursuits seem set to carry on into this summer transfer window, as Todd Boehly seeks to hand his manager-elect Mauricio Pochettino the best possible foundation for instant success.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Chelsea?

That's according to Football Insider, who revealed that the Blues remain heavily interested in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.

Such is their desire to sign him, the report states they are making a big push to pry him from the already-relegated Saints, with their incoming Argentinian manager supposedly a 'huge' fan of his.

It is expected that a more concrete approach will be made once the new head coach is in place, although a deal has already been agreed for the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Talks have been ongoing for months over a move, but Manchester City's £45m buy-back clause, which only becomes active in 2024, is adding a ticking clock over a potential deal.

How good is Romeo Lavia?

Given the 19-year-old has just enjoyed his first full season in senior football, the comfort with which he took to the Premier League was truly astounding.

Despite the south coast outfit's failures likely being rooted in their reliance on youth, it seems that Lavia was one such asset that did not wilt despite a lack of experience to surround him. His 6.83 average rating actually puts him within the top six performers at his club, yet it is his defensive excellence and comfort on the ball that truly makes him stand out.

An 86% pass accuracy gives way to two tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, whilst his 70% dribble success rate only emphasises just how press resistant the teenage star is, via Sofascore.

Such poise and grace mixed with a steely work rate, alongside their shared nationality, makes it hard not to draw comparisons to a former Pochettino favourite in Mousa Dembele.

His 2015/16 campaign in north London, arguably the apex of his career, saw his 7.41 average rating upheld by a 90% pass accuracy, 92% dribble success rate and 3.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore. Truly unattainable levels.

However, Lavia is certainly well-versed in those key assets, with plenty of time for the young "monster", as branded by journalist Benjy Nurick, to grow into such a role.

Transfer insider Dean Jones offered his solution for Pochettino to find his newest iteration of the 35-year-old, first outlining what made Dembele so special before presenting the former Citizens' youth product:

"His strength was, er, his strength! Yet he combined that power on the ball with brilliant awareness, incredible technical ability and a poise that made him so difficult to beat in a one-on-one battle.

"The signing of Romeo Lavia from Southampton would pretty perfectly fit the bill in this sense and that is helpful – because he is already on their watchlist for a summer transfer."

Given how imperative the ex-Belgian international was in laying the foundation for such steady progress at White Hart Lane, Pochettino will be keen on attracting Lavia, as arguably the ideal man to be moulded in his image.

Four wickets for Jofra Archer continued an impressive start to his first-class career at Sussex and helped to justify Luke Wright’s decision to bowl first in Cardiff

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2016
ScorecardLuke Wright still senses a promotion chance [file picture]•Getty ImagesLuke Wright’s decision to insert Glamorgan paid dividends as they fell for a below par 252 in 60.1 overs, before Chris Nash and Ed Joyce compiled an opening partnership of 111 that kept Sussex’s hopes of a late promotion challenge simmering. Sussex trailed by 142 at the end of the first day and are well placed to gain a substantial lead on first innings.Not for the first time this season Glamorgan relied on their middle and late order batsmen to get them out of trouble, slumping to 56 for 5 before lunch. The last five wickets added 196 runs with Graham Wagg and Mark Wallace scoring half centuries and Owen Morgan, who last week scored an undefeated 103 as night watchman against Worcestershire, again impressing with 32 not out.Jofra Archer, a former West Indies U-19 player whose breakthrough in all three formats in the past month has won a contract until the end of next season, achieved career-best championship figures of 4 for 91, but he will bowl better than this and be less rewarded.Nick Selman, who three weeks ago carried his bat against Northants, scoring 122 not out, was out to the fifth ball of the innings, and has now failed to score in four successive innings. He was quickly followed by Jacques Rudolph, whose miserable season continued when he gloved an innocuous delivery from Archer down the leg side to the wicketkeeper.The Sussex seamers continued to take wickets, but Glamorgan’s batsmen contributed to their downfall with some poor shot selection – Will Bragg following one from Steve Magoffin and David Lloyd, who struck his first ball for six, nudging to slip.Wagg and Aneurin Donald began Glamorgan’s revival with a partnership of 50, before Donald played on to Archer, and although Craig Meschede was out soon afterwards, Wagg went on to score 57 with ten boundaries before giving David Wiese a return catch.Wallace top scored with 61 from 59 balls, putting on 44 with Wagg and 62 with Morgan who surely deserves promotion in the batting order from No. 9. He shared a stand of 33 for the last wicket with Michael Hogan that enabled Glamorgan to gain two batting points.The green pitch was soon put into perspective by Nash and Joyce, who were soon into their stride, striking nine boundaries from the opening 12 overs, as Glamorgan’s opening bowlers Craig Meschede and Timm Van Der Gugten failed to make any impact.Nash reached his fifty from 89 balls, but Joyce nibbled at one from Meschede three overs before the close, having completed his thousand runs for the season.

Aston Villa have already turned their attention to the summer transfer window as the end of an impressive Premier League campaign is in sight.

With Unai Emery’s side sitting in seventh and knocking on the doors of European involvement next season, squad depth will be a talking point in the drawing board for summer transfer plans.

The Villains have transformed from relegation candidates at the start of the competition under Steven Gerrard, to European hopefuls with Emery at the helm.

The Spaniard has reinvented the football on show at Villa Park and has subsequently turned talk surrounding the Midlands club from mundanity to excitement, with his side being described as “unstoppable” right now.

What’s the latest on Villa's interest in Orkun Kokcu?

Dutch-born Turkish international Orkun Kokcu has been the subject of transfer speculation as the summer window moves closer.

According to reports from Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, the midfielder has racked up interest from a number of Premier League clubs, and clubs across Europe.

The 22-year-old talent has reportedly been monitored by scouts from the English top-division, including 'regular visitors' from Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace.

Talk surrounding the Feyenoord captain’s future with regard to Villa has heated following Benfica’s reported retraction of interest due to their inability to compete with the 'financial power' of Premier League representatives.

Kokcu’s estimated value has risen tp around £20m since the start of this season, with the asking price expected to increase as his integral presence in Rotterdam becomes more apparent.

What could Kokcu bring to Aston Villa?

Kokcu plays in a holding midfielder role for Feyenoord, where he has flourished this season for his attack prowess and innate reading of the game from central midfield.

The Turkey international ranks highly in comparison to players in Europe for his attacking capabilities and overall control in midfield. While his 15 goal contributions (11 goals, 4 assists) in 38 games in all competitions is impressive as a central midfielder, his passing ability is an area that could appeal to Emery.

The four-time Europa League winning coach places a lot of focus on the midfield, playing a 4-2-2-2 on paper but overseeing a perfectly orchestrated middle of the park free-for-all when Villa are on the attack.

It’s a tactical shift that has seen free-scoring striker Ollie Watkins thrive this season, and a focus on areas that would complement the strengths of a player like Kokcu.

Feyenoord’s no.10 has been elusive in progression play, highlighted through his 11.78 progressive passes per 90 minutes and 2.83 progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

The 22-year-old – who has been hailed as a "Champions League level" player by journalist Dennis van Eersel – ranks highly against Europe’s elite, with £106.8m Enzo Fernandez topping the progressive passing chart with 11.86, highlighting the potential of Kokcu in a fast-paced midfield.

WhoScored describe the attacking strengths of the young dynamo, with his passing, shooting ability and eye for a through ball listed as his most recognised attributes.

Similar strengths have been previously hailed about former Premier League ace Georginio Wijnaldum, who captured the eye of the English top division after making the switch from the Eredivisie to the league, showing the jump can be a successful one.

Perhaps sporting director Johan Lange could repeat this feat by bringing the Feyenoord sensation to Villa Park this summer.

Villa reportedly lead the race for Kokcu as the end of the season approaches, so only time will tell if the deal goes over the line, but the potential Emery could grant the Turkish superstar is undoubtably an exciting prospect.

Cricket South Africa have secured the financial backing of one of the largest financial institutions in the country, Standard Bank, who have signed on as headline sponsor for the national men’s team in all three formats

Firdose Moonda18-May-2016

Cricket South Africa have secured the financial backing of one of the largest financial institutions in the country, Standard Bank, who have signed on as the headline sponsor for the national men’s team in all three formats. The bank replaces Castle Lager and Blue Label Telecoms, who are still expected to be involved in some capacity.The new sponsor is not new to cricket. Standard Bank was previously one of the biggest backers of the game and had a 14-year period as the title sponsors of the ODI and T20 team (then called Pro20 in South Africa) which ended in 2011. Then, Standard Bank also sponsored the Pro20 domestic championship, a 20-over schools competition, CSA’s high performance programme including the national academy, the schools development programme, and the national Under-13 cricket week.However, that year the bank cut ties will all sports sponsorships including that of two of the country’s most popular football clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. With the global economy deep in recession at the time, Standard Bank said they had to “reassess the costs of these sponsorships and the benefits for Standard Bank in the light of changed business needs”.The up-turn in world finances since then has put Standard Bank in a position to resume it’s sports affiliations. A spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo that “a different economic climate” was the main reason for Standard Bank’s renewed interest in the game. The four-year deal is limited to the sponsorship of the national team and not to any of the other areas Standard Bank was previously involved in.It also comes with the debate continuing over banning alcohol advertising and sponsorships, particularly in sport, which is the category Castle Lager are in. In 2013, the Cabinet approved a draft bill to reduce the exposure of alcohol advertising, which had yet to be ratified by Parliament when it was withdrawn. In August 2015, the ruling African National Congress said if the draft bill proceeds it would have “devastating consequences for the sport and recreation sector”, and chose to target regulating sales of alcohol instead. Castle Lager remain associated with the national rugby side, the Springboks.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s bid to take over at Manchester United may have taken a huge twist, The Sun reports.

What’s the latest Manchester United takeover news involving Jassim?

Jassim made a revised Red Devils offer alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe last month and was thought to be confident of sealing a takeover from the Glazers despite interest from Ratcliffe and the Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus.

The Qatari group leader even appears to be planning a first transfer move, should he take control at Old Trafford, with reports suggesting he is a ‘huge fan’ of Jude Bellingham and is plotting a stunning swoop for the Borussia Dortmund midfielder.

However, it seems as if there may be an off-field twist when it comes to Jassim’s attempts to take control, which may come as a blow as he was previously hoping to get things done quickly in order to support manager Erik ten Hag in the transfer market.

The Sun shared a story in the last 48 hours, claiming that senior Government officials have concerns about Jassim. They state that the reservations are related to a £1.4m fine handed out to Qatari Investment Bank’s UK unit by the Bank of England in 2016 for violating capital financial rules that left the bank exposed to high levels of risk.

The report states that it may well prove to be a major turning point and label it as a huge twist in the takeover process, with Jassim the most likely to meet the Glazers' valuation.

Will the Glazers sell?

There could still be plenty of twist and turns when it comes to a potential sale by the Glazers, who appear to be at odds over whether to sell or not. Reports have suggested that Avram Glazer doesn’t want to sell up, whereas Joel Glazer could be persuaded to cash in, while the other four siblings are in favour of selling at a big profit.

The revised offers are still thought to be below the Glazers’ asking price of around £6bn, with the bidders waiting to hear from Raine Group, the U.S. bank working with the Glazers.

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes that ‘suitors expect to hear back from Raine Group this week and get clarity on the next step of the process’. An extra stage of bidding could even be on the cards, so it could be a busy few days in the takeover process.

Arsenal enjoyed a near decade of success under Arsene Wenger between 1996 and 2006, with the Frenchman changing the landscape of English football while leading the Gunners to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, coming close to European glory on two occasions also.

His success in the transfer market was key to all of this, managing to sign players such as Thierry Henry, Marc Overmars and Sol Campbell and turn them into the finest on the continent within their respective positions which made Arsenal a club to be feared.

His final decade wasn’t as enjoyable, with the manager seemingly losing his touch when it came to transfers. Lucas Perez, Calum Chambers and Gervinho all arrived for fees which probably didn’t reflect their actual ability, and they struggled to live up to expectations.

One of his worst signings however was that of Sébastien Squillaci, who rinsed the club during his stint in London.

How much did Sébastien Squillaci cost Arsenal?

The Frenchman arrived at the Gunners in the summer of 2010 for a fee of £4m from La Liga side Sevilla, and it looked as though it could be another Wenger masterclass in the transfer market.

Here was a defender who had won two Ligue 1 titles with Lyon while also claiming a Spanish Cup with Sevilla and had represented France on 21 occasions, including at the 2010 World Cup and arrived with considerable pedigree.

His spell with the Gunners would be an unequivocal disaster. His first season saw the player make 32 appearances and score twice, yet over the next two campaigns he would make just seven appearances across all competitions all while collecting wages reported to be around £50k-per-week in the process.

He twice clashed heads with fellow defender Laurent Koscielny and was sent off against Huddersfield in the FA Cup during his spell at the club and Wenger finally lost patience with the defender, as his performances left much to be desired.

The former Lyon centre-back left the North Londoners in the summer of 2013, returning to France to join SC Bastia and across his 148-week spell under Wenger, Squillaci rinsed the club for £11.8m (his £4m transfer fee plus £7.8m in wages earned during that spell) and it’s clear this money could have been spent on other areas.

His signing proved to be a colossal waste of money and Wenger’s final years were littered with such transfers. Thankfully, Mikel Arteta looks to be signing players who will only add quality to the Arsenal side.