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In what could be a repeat of Michael Olise’s departure to Bayern Munich last summer, Barcelona have held talks to sign a Crystal Palace star who’s yet to sign a new deal at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace transfer news

It took a couple of months for the Eagles to adjust to life without Olise, but Oliver Glasner can now say with confidence that their season is well and truly underway, albeit with one cautious eye on the dropzone. The summer transfer window, in the face of such a departure, proved to be a difficult one even as the likes of Ismaila Sarr and Maxence Lacroix arrived.

Now, with the January transfer window approaching and a few too many question marks surrounding their ability to stay afloat in the Premier League, it will be interesting to see if Palace welcome a number of reinforcements. Already, they’ve been linked with the likes of James McAtee and Romain Esse – two midfielders who would add an injection of quality in Glasner’s side.

As reinforcements potentially arrive, however, the exit door could swing open once more to deal those at Selhurst Park another blow in 2025. According to Caught Offside, Barcelona are now plotting a move to sign Tyrick Mitchell alongside the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, having already held talks with the left-back.

With his contract set to come to an end in the summer and reports suggesting that he’s not keen to commit his long-term future in South London, Mitchell’s departure seems an inevitability – handing Palace quite the decision to make.

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If Palace decide to wait until the summer, then they will lose Mitchell for free unless anything changes on the contract front. So if clubs come calling as early as the January transfer window, then the Eagles may well be wise to cash in on their defender.

"Consistent" Mitchell would be a frustrating loss

For Mitchell to reach this point in his contract is a failure in itself for Crystal Palace, who simply did not commence talks early enough to avoid the panic that they now find themselves in. An important player under Glasner and a rising star who the Eagles would usually be guaranteed to at least cash in on, they’ll likely be left with no choice but to watch one of their prized assets leave as a free agent when the summer arrives.

Glasner will be among those most frustrated if that does prove to be the case, having praised Mitchell earlier this month. The Palace manager told reporters as relayed by BBC Sport: “The biggest potential he has is in possession.

“Entering the final third, I think he can be involved more and have quicker solutions. This is what we are working on daily with him. He is very consistent, he is always available and plays to a high level.”

It’s consistency that Barcelona have seemingly taken notice of too and as Mitchell’s contract continues to run down, he looks like a player to watch when 2025 arrives.

Barcelona are reportedly on the verge of extending Ansu Fati's contract by five years, but will still look to sell the La Masia wonderkid this summer.

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• Barca to renew Fati's contract
• Will offer new deal that will run until 2030
• Catalans want to save money by offering lengthy extension

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report from SPORT, Barcelona are planning to hand Ansu Fati a fresh five-year deal. Fati is currently among the top earners at Barca with a salary of around €13-14 million, and with no potential suitors ready to buy him yet, it has now been revealed why the player is being offered a new deal.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Barcelona are eager to offload Fati and remove his hefty wages from the wage bill, but the player is unlikely to accept any move, as he wants to succeed at the club. With his current deal running until 2027, the club is considering offering him a new five-year contract until 2030 with a significant pay cut. This would spread the €26m he is set to earn over the next two years across the full term of the new contract, allowing the club to save money in the short term.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  When Hansi Flick arrived as the new Barca boss ahead of the ongoing season, reports from Spain revealed that the German manager was going to count upon the former wonderkid. "I have congratulated Ansu on his return. I have a lot of appreciation for him and he is going to do very well," Flick said in September after Fati marked his return to fitness following a cameo in the Champions League.

  However, the 22-year-old has struggled to turn his fortunes around, with Flick regularly leaving him out of Barcelona's matchday squads. A summer departure seems inevitable, although the player is unwilling to seek pastures new.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Currently atop the La Liga table with 60 points, same as rivals Real Madrid, Flick and Co. will face a gruelling fixture calendar in the coming weeks as they are set to play nine games over the next four weeks. Their upcoming assignment is a home game against Osasuna on Thursday, March 27.

Series on the line in Gqeberha with the visitors desperate to set the record straight after their collapse in the first Test

Firdose Moonda07-Apr-2022Big pictureIt’s Gqeberha, with a hard click at the start and a guttural “gha” at the end, that’s the venue for the last dance of the South African summer. Where, you ask? The place with the oldest cricket ground in the country but the newest name.Formerly known as Port Elizabeth, the city was renamed last year, but not much else has changed. It’s still about life in the slow lane in this part of the country, with the whistling of a strong wind for company. It’s been blowing fiercely in the lead up to the match, almost enough to match the fury within the Bangladesh camp.The visitors are angry with everyone, from the umpires for the eight decisions that needed to be overturned in Durban to the hosts for what they called an unacceptable level of sledging throughout the tour. They’ve lodged an official complaint about both, but have since denied raising any issue about the verbals, which South Africa insist did not cross the line.Related

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Bangladesh lost 14 wickets to spin on a surface that should have reminded them of home and were bowled out for their second-lowest total in Test cricket. This despite being so competitive for four full days of the match. After coups like their win in New Zealand and their ODI series victory here, Bangladesh know they are better than 53 all out and will want to use the second Test to show that.They could ask for no better place to play it than the home of their head coach, Russell Domingo, who successfully coached the Warriors franchise, based at St George’s Park, and never lost a Test here in his time with South Africa. It hasn’t hosted a Test match since January 2020, but it will return with all the usual bells and whistles. The brass band is back after their Covid-19 hiatus and a capacity of 7,500 is allowed. Although attendance is not usually that high, for South Africans who have been deprived of live sport for the last two years, it’s the perfect opportunity to see the national team up close before they head on away assignments over the winter.Bangladesh weren’t very pleased with the umpiring that was on show in Durban•AFP/Getty ImagesSouth Africa can probably already call this Test season a success after a home series win against India and a drawn series in New Zealand but will not want to slip up after seizing the advantage in Durban. Speaking of, they’ve already had one accident this week. Dean Elgar fell when getting out of the shower a few days ago and hit his head badly enough to require stitches. The cut is above his right eye, roughly where his helmet might sit, but he batted on the eve of the match and “seems to be okay”, to lead the side.Even with an under-strength squad – five first-choice South Africa players are at the IPL – Elgar has managed to establish his style of play. “Ruthless,” was how he described it in Durban and he will want nothing less than to seal a series sweep.Form guideSouth Africa WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLWLLIn the spotlightSimon Harmer surged back onto the international scene with a four-for in his first Test innings and showed the progress he has made as an attacking bowler since last playing Tests in 2015. He was humble in his success and said the return did not necessarily prove his worth but after finishing the match with seven wickets may have adjusted that opinion. Still, Harmer remains a support act to Keshav Maharaj, especially as South Africa seldom play two spinners in a Test XI and a big performance on his former home ground could go a long way to ensuring he is part of the squad that tours England this winter, and maybe even stakes a claim for the lone spinner spot, on occasion.Since he last played in South Africa in 2017 where he impressed with a score of 70 in Bloemfontein, Litton Das has become one of Bangladesh’s most dependable batters. He was the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in 2021, with 594 from seven Tests at an average of 49.50 and is the top batter in 2022 so far, with 239 runs from three innings. His 41 at Kingsmead was a good mix of conservative batting and counter-attack and he shared in their most profitable partnership of the match, 82, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, but will want to push on to bigger things in Gqerberha.Litton Das has been one of Bangladesh’s most dependable players recently•Getty ImagesTeam newsSouth Africa are unlikely to make any changes to the batting line-up but may look at one in the bowling department. Despite being the most experienced member of the pace pack, Duanne Olivier has failed to set the stage alight and could be benched for Lutho Sipamla, who is from this city and played his early years of domestic cricket here.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Keegan Petersen, 4 Ryan Rickleton, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Lizaad Williams 11 Lutho SipamlaTamim Iqbal has recovered from the stomach ailment that kept him out of the first Test and is expected to replace Shadman Islam at the top of the other. With both Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam out of the series with injury, either Abu Jayed or Shohidul Islam will play.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Abu Jayed/Shohidul Islam, 10 Khaled Hossain, 11 Ebadot HossainPitch and conditionsNever mind the surface – which had a healthy grass covering two days before the Test match but will get a trim before the first ball – it’s the air that’s a major factor in Gqeberha. Westerly Winds of around 50kph have been blowing in the lead-up to the match. That’s the drying wind, which usually means it will be good for batting, but the direction will change from the first day of the match, bringing moisture but, with autumn temperatures hovering in the low 20 C, there’s unlikely to be the humidity for swing. Rain is forecast for the first three days, with the third day the most likely to be severely affected. There’s an 80% chance of showers on Sunday but by early next week, conditions are expected to clear so this Test could go the distance.Stats and trivia Mushfiqur Rahim needs 127 runs to reach 5,000 Test runs, while Tamim Iqbal needs 212. South Africa have lost their last two matches at St George’s Park, to England and Sri Lanka.Quotes”The wind plays a massive factor here at St George’s. If the wind is coming over the scoreboard, they call it the swing wind. And it might assist the bowlers. If the wind comes through the gap between the change room and the stand, it’s a swirling wind, which plays a massive part with the ball when it goes up in the air and with catching. The wind is also a factor with batters because it tends to blow you a bit over your front foot and gets you to go across the ball a little bit.”

Manchester United have made a phenomenal start to life under new boss Ruben Amorim, avoiding defeat in all three of the matches he’s taken charge of.

Their latest display saw a huge 4-0 win over Everton in the Premier League, taking them just four points off a Champions League spot despite the dismal start to the season that saw Erik ten Hag lose his job.

The former Ajax boss was given his marching orders after a 2-1 defeat against West Ham United at the end of October, after a run of just three wins in the opening nine league outings.

Ten Hag simply failed to deliver during his time at Old Trafford, despite the FA Cup triumph in 2023/24 and the Carabao Cup the season prior – failing to take the club back to the glory days.

Such a responsibility now falls into the path of Amorim, who will be hoping to make the most of the additions made by the Dutchman during his tenure in the North West.

Man Utd’s transfer window in the summer of 2023

Goalkeeper Andre Onana was brought in from Italian side Inter Milan during the summer of 2023, replacing club legend David de Gea who was released at the end of his contract.

Ten Hag placed a real impetus on the fact he wanted a ‘keeper comfortable with the ball at his feet, turning to the Cameroonian after his previous spell under the Dutchman at Ajax.

Since his transfer, the 28-year-old has kept 20 clean sheets, looking to continue his superb form and become a crucial player under the new boss over the next couple of years.

At the opposite end of the pitch, striker Rasmus Hojlund arrived in a £72m deal from Italian side Atalanta, with real hope of transforming the Red Devils’ fortunes in the final third.

He had his injury issues during his opening year in England, but still notched a total of 16 goals in his 43 appearances – finishing as their joint top scorer in the league.

Amorim’s appointment appears to have benefitted the Dane, scoring twice and registering one assist during his opening three games in charge.

That said, the 39-year-old could have utilised one player during his time at United had Ten Hag not prematurely offloaded the attacker last summer.

The player who’s outperformed Rashford since leaving Man Utd

Winger Anthony Elanga came through the club’s academy system, before making his breakthrough into the first team during the 2020/21 campaign.

The now 22-year-old earned high praise from then-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær, with the Norwegian claiming the attacker has shades of the legendary Andy Cole, given his turn of pace in the final third.

He would end up making 55 appearances for the Red Devils over a two-season period, scoring just four times, including against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League during 2021/22.

The Sweden international would only start five games during Ten Hag’s opening campaign in England, leading to his eventual departure, joining Nottingham Forest for a fee in the region of £15m.

Such a transfer has allowed the “frightening” star, as dubbed by journalist Laurie Whitwell, to become a key first-team member for the East Midlands outfit, registering five goals and 11 assists since his departure.

Elanga’s subsequent form has seen him outperform current United striker Marcus Rashford so far this campaign in many metrics, even despite the Englishman’s double against Everton at the weekend.

He’s produced fewer combined goal contributions in the Premier League to date, but the Forest ace has completed more carries into the opposition’s penalty areas and more shot-creating actions, all whilst attempting more crosses too – constantly looking a threat for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

How Elanga compares to Rashford in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Elanga

Rashford

Games played

13

13

Goals & assists

2

5

Progressive carries

3

1.9

Progressive passes

1.9

1.9

Crosses attempted

7.6

2.2

Shot-creating actions

3.6

2.3

Carries into opposition box

1.9

1.2

Aerials won

1.3

0.5

Stats via FBref

As a result of his impressive form at the City Ground, the Swede was the subject of a £50m bid from Newcastle United – highlighting the fact the Red Devils undoubtedly offloaded him far too cheaply.

His increased game time has allowed for the youngster to continue his development, with Amorim missing out on utilising a massive talent during his time at Old Trafford after Ten Hag’s decision to part ways with him last summer.

Rashford might be a larger goal threat but from the metrics so far this season, Elanga looks like the better all-round package heading into the future.

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As the January transfer window approaches, Newcastle United have already reportedly received a bid to sell one of Eddie Howe’s attacking players who’s struggled for game time in the current campaign.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies will be desperate to enjoy a busy 2025 on the transfer front after failing miserably on the recruitment front during the summer. Recent reports suggest that Paul Mitchell is already lining up several targets too, with Bryan Mbeumo and even long-term Chelsea target Victor Osimhen among those mentioned. When 2025 arrives, however, Newcastle could be forced to deal with departures alongside incoming reinforcements.

Among those who could leave is Alexander Isak following recent rumours that contract talks between the Swede and Newcastle have reached a worrying standstill, opening the door to the likes of Arsenal. And whilst those rumours persist, Isak has been proving exactly why he deserves a place at the very top.

If rumours quickly become fact then Newcastle’s star striker will be heading for the exit door to potentially join another one of Howe’s attacking options. According to Soy del Millo, River Plate have submitted a bid worth €10m (£8m) to sign Miguel Almiron, only for Newcastle to reject that offer ahead of the winter window, with their price tag reportedly standing between €12-15m (£10-13m).

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Unlike Isak, Almiron is no longer a key man under Howe after losing his place to the likes of Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordan to create major question marks over his St James’ Park future.

Amid profit and sustainability concerns, £60,000-a-week Almiron remains a player that Newcastle would be wise to move as they have seemingly been attempting to do for the last six months. For now, however, they’re still waiting for the right offer to come their way.

"Incredible" Almiron needs Newcastle departure

Playing just 103 minutes of Premier League action and making just seven appearances in all competitions so far this season, it seems clearer than ever that Almiron must head for the St James’ Park exit door when 2025 arrives. For all parties involved, a departure would make perfect sense, especially if Newcastle finally receive their £10m+ asking price.

Just what Almiron’s Newcastle legacy is remains difficult to say. He shocked the Premier League and most of all Jack Grealish when he hit blistering form in the 2022/23 campaign but was back to his frustrating subdued nature just one campaign later. Now 30 years old, the winger should take his leave and with it moments to remember such as last season’s strike on the way to victory over Paris Saint-Germain last season.

Howe is among those to have praised Almiron during his time in Tyneside, saying via Newcastle World back in August: “We’ll work with Miggy to try and get his game to the level it was two years ago where he was absolutely incredible for us.

“His commitment, attitude and professionalism is second to none, he is truly a magnificent person and professional. He is an important player for us and we don’t underestimate his qualities.”

Chelsea certainly haven’t been afraid to splash the cash recently as Todd Boehly aims to take the club back towards the summit of the Premier League after numerous years away from a title battle.

The Blues hierarchy have spent around £1.2bn on new signings since 2022 to try and propel themselves back into the reckoning – a huge risk given the limitations of the division’s PSR and FFP rules.

Bedding in all the new talent and establishing a settled squad has proved difficult for numerous managers over the last couple of years, but Enzo Maresca appears to have found the winning formula at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian has won ten of his 17 matches in charge after his summer appointment from Leicester City, losing on just three occasions – achieving a win percentage of 59%.

It’s very rare that the 44-year-old ever makes drastic changes to his league starting lineup, with the consistency allowing his side to sit in third place during the current international break.

One player in particular has been impressive since Maresca’s arrival, taking his game to the next level despite his impressive debut campaign in West London last year.

Moises Caicedo’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

After his English record transfer of £115m from Brighton during the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo was always going to have the price tag looming over his head – undoubtedly bringing increased scrutiny should he underperform.

However, nearly 18 months on from his move to the capital, you very rarely hear anyone complain about the price tag paid for the 23-year-old – a sign that he’s clearly making the impact required for such a fee.

The Ecuador international made 48 appearances for the Blues in all competitions during his first season at the Bridge, but it has been his start to 2024/25 that has seen the youngster take his game to the next level.

Caicedo has only missed 14 minutes of Premier League action throughout the first 11 matches of the season, playing a crucial role as a ball-winner at the base of Maresca’s side.

He’s already won 25 tackles this campaign, an average of over two per game – the highest of any player in the current first team – an example of his importance to the Italian.

However, he’s also had an effect in attacking areas, contributing with two assists before scoring his first goal of the season with a perfectly placed volley against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Any side in the world would be lucky to have a player of Caicedo’s quality, but the Blues already have another version of the big-money man who could be crucial for Maresca during his time at the helm.

Chelsea's new Caicedo

Although the club are currently stacked with numerous midfield options, it may be about to get even worse ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos joined the club back in January 2023 for around £18m, before joining fellow top-flight side Nottingham Forest at the start of the last campaign.

However, his move was a disaster, featuring just twice before being recalled and sent to French side Strasbourg, a decision that has allowed him to flourish and take his game to the next level.

After spending the last six months of last season on loan, he returned to Ligue 1 with the same side for the current campaign, achieving a phenomenal start in the last few weeks.

The 20-year-old has already found the back of the net five times in his ten appearances, having a big impact in the final third despite primarily being a deep-lying midfielder.

However, the “monster” Brazilian talent, as dubbed by Brazilian analyst Nathan Joyes, has also excelled defensively, winning 2.47 tackles per 90 this season, with a total of 37, putting him just one behind £115m man Caicedo.

Given the impact so far during his temporary stint away from Stamford Bridge, it’s evident that he has the potential to improve further but also battle for a regular first-team role next campaign.

Games played

10

11

Goals & assists

5

3

Progressive carries *

1.2

0.8

Tackles won *

2.5

2.3

Take-on success *

53%

47%

Aerial success *

70%

65%

He’s yet to make a competitive appearance for Maresca’s side since his transfer, but his time with Strasbourg is giving the youngster all of the experience needed to be a success with his parent side.

It would prevent any more money being spent by the club’s hierarchy, allowing for an unbelievable partnership at the base of the Blues midfielder for many years to come.

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Reliable journalist James Pearce has now provided a major update regarding the future of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk at Anfield.

Van Dijk's Liverpool future

The Reds have made a wonderful start to life under new head coach Arne Slot, sitting top of the Premier League table after winning seven of their opening eight fixtures in the competition this season. Despite there being a huge amount of positivity on show at Anfield currently, there are lingering concerns over the futures of Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah – all three Liverpool superstars are out of contract at the end of this season and none have signed extensions yet.

Van Dijk may now be 33 years of age, but there are no signs of him slowing down at all, with the Reds skipper arguably standing out as his side’s best player so far this season, perhaps alongside compatriot Ryan Gravenberch.

The Dutchman remains possibly the leading centre-back in world football, which many have felt has been the case for the last five or six years, so the thought of Liverpool losing him next summer is something that doesn’t bear thinking about for supporters. Now, a big update has dropped regarding the next step in his career.

Pearce drops fresh Van Dijk claim at Liverpool

According to Pearce on X, there is “positive news” regarding Van Dijk’s future at Liverpool, with “discussions” over an extension now taking place.

This is massive news from a Liverpool perspective, with Van Dijk already a legendary Reds player, but also having plenty of years still left in him at the top level.

As mentioned, the Netherlands captain has been near-perfect for the Reds this season, starting every single minute in the league and averaging 5.4 clearances and 3.9 aerial duel wins per game. Meanwhile, Slot is under no illusions as to how important keeping hold of Van Dijk is.

“We all see how good he still is and how much he contributes to our offensive style. What you don’t see, and I do see, is how important he is in the training sessions.

“He is the most loud and he brings a lot of energy and quality into the sessions. What you see at the weekends is what I also see during the week and that is what you want to see. He is definitely our leader.”

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This latest update suggests that Van Dijk looks more likely to sign a new deal than leave Liverpool, which has to be seen as a massive positive. Now, it’s a case of the same happening with Alexander-Arnold and Salah, with the trio all more important than any new signings.

Former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie has heaped praise on an “exciting kid” at the club, and suggests that he could even be their next Jarrod Bowen.

Lopetegui under pressure after poor West Ham start

New manager Julen Lopetegui has big shoes to fill after David Moyes, who guided the Hammers to their first major trophy in decades and successive campaigns in Europe, having taken over when they were fighting for their Premier League status in 2019.

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The Spaniard is under pressure already.

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Emilio Galantini

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The Hammers have won just two games in all competitions since Lopetegui took charge – a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace in the league and a 1-0 cup victory at home to Bournemouth – and West Ham’s expensively-assembled new-look squad suggests they should be doing much better.

Lopetegui was backed with a near-£120 million summer spend on nine new signings, but they’ve failed to record a single win since late August and pressure is mounting on the Spaniard.

West Ham have been criticised for their showings in both an attacking and defensive sense, with Sky Sports reporter Ron Walker saying that much more should be expected of this quality side on paper.

“When you’re in a bad run of form and you concede with 41 seconds on the clock, you fear the worst. In that context, the way West Ham bounced back to earn a point at Brentford is a positive,” said the journalist.

“But that’s still as good as it gets. For a team with the depth and quality of this Hammers side, the lack of memorable moments they produced is still a concern. The Hammers’ defending has been a major cause for concern but their attacking return is an even greater worry when Julen Lopetegui was tasked with delivering a more expansive style.

“That will take time but with an expected goals tally lower than Southampton despite Lucas Paqueta, Mohamed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen featuring in every game, even their individual quality should be enough to produce more than this.”

Frank McAvennie compares Crysencio Summerville to Jarrod Bowen

West Ham, and especially the under-fire Lopetegui, will need all the help they can get to turn this form around.

Over the summer, West Ham agreed a £25 million-plus deal for winger Crysencio Summerville, and he is yet to get off the mark over his seven appearances in all competitions.

The Dutchman comes with plenty of promise, though, having scored 20 goals with a further nine assists in the Championship for Leeds last season. The winger could be pivotal to adding that extra bit of dynamism to West Ham’s attack, and he could follow a similar path to Bowen given his London Stadium switch from the second tier.

Indeed, McAvennie suggests Summerville could be West Ham’s new Bowen, and adds that the attacker “hasn’t had much help recently” in a glowing endorsement of the 22-year-old.

“I think he’s been bright, always looking to get at his opponent,” said McAvennie to West Ham Zone.

“The more he plays, the better. Jarrod Bowen came from Hull City, and it took him a few games but David Moyes believed in him.

“That’s what is going to happen with this guy. He’s another young, exciting kid, who has no fears. I like that. He goes to get the ball and he doesn’t care about who they’re playing. He just hasn’t had much help recently.”

Rescheduled Test has to be a one-off match, and not a continuation of the aborted series, says BCCI president

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2021Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, believes the Old Trafford Test between England and India should be “cancelled”, not postponed.Ganguly added that whenever a one-off Test between England and India is eventually scheduled, “it cannot be a continuation of the series” that ended prematurely when India opted against taking the field last Friday.While he chose not to speak on the book launch Ravi Shastri and some other members of the Indian contingent attended prior to the fourth Test as being the possible reason for the Covid-19 outbreak, Ganguly did stand by the head coach and the others, saying that there was no question of blaming anyone in the circumstances.Related

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“The Old Trafford Test has been cancelled. They (ECB) have incurred a lot of losses and it’s not going to be easy on [them],” Ganguly said in an interaction with the Kolkata-based . “Let things settle down a bit, then we can discuss and decide. Whenever it’s held next year, it should be a one-off match since it cannot be a continuation of the series any more.”Ganguly is expected to be in London for a personal visit later this month, and while he didn’t say he would meet ECB officials while there, he said the BCCI has “given them the option of taking some more time since it’s just got over”.An event around Shastri’s book – – took place on September 1, a day before the start of the fourth Test at The Oval, which India won to take a 2-1 lead in the series. On September 5, Shastri tested positive for Covid-19. His colleagues in the support staff, Bharat Arun, R Sridhar and Nitin Patel, were identified as his close contacts and put in isolation, and Arun and Sridhar subsequently tested positive too. Then, on September 9, India’s assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar tested positive for the virus as well, and that is understood to have been the tipping point for a group of players, who refused to take part in the fifth and final Test.

“The players were devastated when they came to know that he [Yogesh Parmar] had tested positive for Covid-19. They feared they must have contracted the disease and were dead scared. It’s not easy staying in a bubble. Of course, you have to respect their feelings”Sourav Ganguly

“The players refused to play but you can’t blame them,” Ganguly said. “Physio Yogesh Parmar was such a close contact of the players. Being the only one available after Nitin Patel isolated himself, he mixed freely with the players and even performed their Covid-19 tests. He also used to give them a massage, he was part of their everyday lives.”The players were devastated when they came to know that he had tested positive for Covid-19. They feared they must have contracted the disease and were dead scared. It’s not easy staying in a bubble. Of course, you have to respect their feelings.”8:41

Newsroom: ‘ICC has to adjudicate what the result of the series is’

Speaking about the book launch in a chat with on Sunday, Shastri had defended himself, saying, “The whole country [UK] is open. Anything could have happened from Test One.”While Ganguly said that “No permission was sought,” by Shastri or anyone else to be part of the event, he felt that the coach and others were blameless.”How long can you stay confined to your hotel rooms? Can you stay locked at your home day in and day out? You can’t be restricted to a life where you go from the hotel to the ground and return to the hotel. This is humanly not possible,” Ganguly, who also dismissed suggestions that the players skipped the last Test to be in the UAE early for the resumption of the IPL from September 19, said.”You can’t stay in a bubble forever. Life has to open up. These players and support staff have been in a bubble for more than a year now. It’s no joke. It’s very demanding physically and mentally. They are human beings and it’s unfortunate. From the UK, the players are already in another bubble in the UAE [for the IPL]. Another round of quarantine, another bubble.… Then there will be the bubble for the T20 World Cup. It’s not easy.”

Kimber scores 63 in four-wicket, DLS victory but other results don’t go Foxes’ way

ECB Reporters Network12-Aug-2021

Leicestershire Foxes missed out on a Royal London Cup knockout spot despite a Louis Kimber-inspired four-run DLS victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road.The Foxes needed to win and hope for two of Surrey, Somerset and Yorkshire to lose but in spite of holding up their end of the bargain they fell a point shy in Group 1.Kimber struck 63, his second List A fifty, with Rishi Patel, Arron Lilley and Rehan Ahmed helping the Foxes to 271.Rain meant the Steelbacks needed 266 from 48 over, but Rob Keogh’s 52 wasn’t enough as they fell agonisingly short – with Will Davis, Gavin Griffiths and Ben Mike all taking two wickets apiece.The Foxes won the toss and hared out the gate as Patel aggressively blasted 41 off 33 balls, including a pick up six over midwicket.He and opening partner Harry Swindles were both bounced out by Ben Sanderson – the former plinking to extra cover to hand the fast bowler his 50th List A wicket and the latter wonderfully caught by a diving Saif Zaib at deep square leg.Like Patel, Lilley showed that an attacking spirit was the best way to make runs – the all-rounder striking 46 off 37 deliveries for his third consecutive highest format score.Partnerships were extinguished just as they started to flourish – eight of the stands producing between 20 and 50 runs – with Lewis Hill losing the top of his off-stump to Sanderson, Lilley stumped and George Rhodes leg before to Simon Kerrigan.Mike tamely chipped to midwicket and Ed Barnes was plumb in front to Zaib but Kimber provided the paste with a 53-ball half-century. He was squared up and bowled by a crafty Kerrigan delivery, while 16-year-old Ahmed marshalled the tail with a promising unbeaten 40 before Zaib bowled both Griffiths and Davis – the spinner ending with personal best figures of 3 for 37.The Steelbacks raced to 45 in 7.5 overs before rain helped slow up a wicket which was already friendly to the spin bowlers.Emilio Gay collected 42 of the first 53 runs, including eight boundaries, before he was lbw to George Rhodes and Ricardo Vasconcelos followed soon after when he slashed to point.A third wicket in 10 balls, Ben Curran chopping on, came as the hosts stalled – with a nine overs gap between boundaries highlighting the Foxes’ containment.Luke Procter and Keogh were pragmatic, if rarely pretty, in their 89-run stand. The latter reached his half-century off 56 balls before swatting to midwicket but the former fell short when he hammered straight to point for 48 – both falling to Mike.Zaib tried to take control with 42 from 41, which included a towering maximum over square, but swung a full toss straight to deep midwicket with 37 still needed from 25 balls.James Sales had put on 63 with Zaib and picked out exactly the same fielder, as did Kerrigan.It meant 25 were needed from the last 11 balls, but despite Sanderson’s big-hitting, Jack White was run out to drag the Foxes over the line.