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Two years into the job, Steven Smith is already thinking of the 2021 Test tour of India, which he craves to lead in and win

Adam Collins in Mirpur26-Aug-20171:04

Gambhir: Australia will start favourites in Bangladesh

Occasionally, selection is just as much a pointer to the coming months and years as it is for the five days ahead. That is the case with Steven Smith’s side for the first Test in Mirpur. They will be making two changes to the XI that lost their previous Test, in Dharamsala against India in March.Ashton Agar returns after four years away, while Usman Khawaja is principally back to get into the Test groove again before the Ashes opener in November. Smith’s explanation of Steve O’Keefe’s omission from the squad, in favour of Agar, is instructive of his longer-term leadership goals. Namely, that he plans to be around for a long time.Since Allan Border, no Australian leader has spent more than Ricky Ponting’s seven years in the job, the rest staying for somewhere short of five. With two candles nearly on the cake for Smith, he is already thinking four years ahead to the next time Australia is due for a Test series in India, one he craves to lead in and win.While O’Keefe’s numerical return at Test and first-class level is top class, at 32 he is nine years Agar’s senior. The younger man has far from bashed the door down on conventional measures, claiming his first-class wickets at more than 40 apiece. Despite his two Ashes Tests in 2013 (for just two wickets) he remains, to a certain extent, a project player. But that project aligns neatly with Smith’s own: the aforementioned Indian return bout in 2021.”He’s come a long way,” Smith said of Agar’s inclusion. “For us it’s more looking to the future. Ashton has obviously been on the radar for a long time and someone we see as having a pretty bright future. Four years’ time back in India it’s something I want to achieve while I’m captain. I want to win in India, that’s big on my bucket list.”Similar logic applies to Khawaja. Aside from a dismal run in Sri Lanka last year where he lost his subcontinental spot, he has a body of work to dream of since returning to the side two Australian summers ago. But Smith made a more basic point about why Khawaja has nudged ahead of Shaun Marsh in the pecking order.”Usman obviously hasn’t played any cricket since the Sydney Test match, that was his last game and that was a long time ago,” he said. “We need to get him back into the fold and get him playing cricket again.” Before the home Ashes, Smith means, where the stylish left-hand batsman remains a lock.The series presents an opportunity for both Glenn Maxwell and Usman Khawaja•AFPIt isn’t just the fortunes of Khawaja that have changed since that Sri Lankan shocker. Whitewashed three-zip after going in favourites, expectations for India were measured, to say the least. But there, they stopped the rot and put on a better than commendable show, not least by breaking a nine-game losing snap in the region. It governs a far healthier mindset.”Something I learned a lot about in India as a captain in particular was knowing the different tempos of the game and when to attack a little bit more,” Smith said. “It’s been a good learning experience for me. I think the key to winning overseas is to ensure that you’re adapting consistently and putting those performances on the board consistently.”This confidence translates to relying on four bowlers alone to capture 20 wickets. Smith has been reluctant to use Glenn Maxwell’s spin since his return to the Test side in Ranchi, and seldom bowls himself now despite earning his national debut as a bowler first.”I know I copped a little bit of criticism for not using him [Maxwell] as much in the India series but again, you’ve got two quality spinners and they’re there to do a job,” Smith said. “In an ideal world, someone in the top six could bowl some good medium pace or good pace, it’d be ideal, but at the moment we’ve got to go with what we’ve got.”The tacit message to Maxwell came in response to the next question put to Smith, about England’s allrounder penchant. May it necessitate a seaming allrounder for Brisbane in November? “Yeah it could,” the Australian captain said. “They’ve got a very deep line-up.”With Smith also detailing a scenario where five specialist bowlers could be included for that series opener – a fit fab four of Australian quicks (Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson) alongside Nathan Lyon – it’s doubly important for Maxwell to use these Tests to make himself indispensable at six. “He does have an opportunity,” Smith continued. “He played pretty well in India, a lot better than other guys in that last Test. He certainly has the opportunity to nail down that spot, that’s for sure.”For all the inevitable Ashes chat, Smith was quick to clarify that Bangladesh won’t be underestimated, given they bossed over England inside three days the last time they played a Test here. Bangladesh also beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka to level a three-Test series in March. “We’re going to have to be at our best here,” he said.A slightly dry surface has been chosen in Mirpur among the two shortlisted, but Smith was reluctant to enter the encounter worrying too much about that. “There’s a ‘no whingeing’ policy about anything here in the subcontinent, wickets certainly fall under that,” he said. “They’ve put some grass clippings down to make it look a bit greener than what it is but it’s pretty dry underneath. I dare say it’ll be pretty slow.”Off-field, it is the first time an Australian team of any variety has played since the conclusion of the bitter pay war earlier this month, finally striking an agreement that made this tour possible. As a consequence, Smith acknowledged the importance of now rebuilding the brand of the game and national team after a torrent of bad blood was shed between players and administrators.”The pay dispute went on longer than we all would have liked but thankfully it’s all dealt with now,” he said. “We can move on with playing and trying to win back a few fans that we perhaps may have lost along the way. I think we’ll do that by playing good, hard fought cricket and winning games of cricket.”Bangladesh is good a place to start as any. Smith’s predecessor Michael Clarke put a premium on winning away and had middling success in doing so. For Smith, he managed it at the first time of asking in New Zealand, but came away without a trophy in the next two attempts. So drawing from the qualified-success of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, there is no better time or place to square the ledger and begin charting the course to his long-term Indian summit.

Chelsea's number-one transfer target Moises Caicedo feels that he has a "gentlemen's agreement" with Brighton & Hove Albion that he'll be allowed to leave should they receive the right fee, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Moises Caicedo joining Chelsea?

There's no such thing as a quiet transfer window at Stamford Bridge, and the last month or so has once again borne that out.

The Blues started the summer not by buying any shiny new stars to add to their squad, but by selling what could almost be a full XI of first-team quality players.

The start of the window saw the likes of N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, among others, decide to swap west London for the Middle East and join the unfathomably wealthy Saudi Pro League.

Others like Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic instead opted to remain in England and join Premier League rivals.

All of this selling has seemingly given the Blues the freedom to start adding new names to their squad once again, with the signings of Nicolas Jackson, Diego Moreira and Kendry Paez all confirmed already.

However, the biggest deal that the club have been linked to all summer is undoubtedly their attempt to secure the signature of Brighton's Ecuadorian superstar, Caicedo.

The Seagulls star has been the focus of Chelsea's attention for over a month at this point, and the two sides have been in constant dialogue over the potential move, despite the south coast club rejecting the Blues' most recent offer of £70m, according to Sky Sports.

Mauricio Pochettino's side will have to significantly increase their next offer, as The Athletic has reported that "La Joya" is valued at around £100m by Brighton – a valuation that has been influenced by the recent sale of the positionally similar Declan Rice to Arsenal.

The one advantage that Chelsea have in negotiations, however, is that the 21-year-old wants to make the move and feels like he has a gentlemen's agreement with his club dictating that he'll be allowed to leave should an offer close to their valuation be made, per Sky Sports News reporter Sheth.

He explained the situation live on air, which was posted on the Sky Sports YouTube channel:

"One source has told me earlier on today [Thursday] that Caicedo feels he's got some sort of gentlemen's agreement with Brighton to be able to leave in this transfer window, provided the price is right for Brighton & Hove Albion. Brighton are not commenting on that.

"But look, it should be said, Brighton are very tough negotiators, and they will never stop any of their players leaving provided their valuation is met. So I think there is quite a big gap in that valuation between what Chelsea are prepared to pay and what Brighton want, but talks are going to continue to see if they can bridge that gap.

"He is Chelsea's number-one target – of that there is no question – and we believe that Chelsea are getting that encouragement that Caicedo does want to make the move."

How much does Moises Caicedo earn?

For such a sought-after player, Caicedo was on a relatively small wage for a Premier League footballer just seven months ago.

When Arsenal were first interested in signing the mercurial midfielder in the January transfer window, he was on a contract that saw him earn 'just' £15,000 a week – around £45,000 a week less than the average Premier League player.

Perhaps realising that would make it harder to keep their star, Brighton then upped the wages of their Santo Domingo-born gem to the league average of around £60,000 a week.

Should he make the move to Chelsea, he can probably expect to earn similar wages to their other stars like Enzo Fernandez, who is on £315,000 a week.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga will face a disciplinary inquiry from Sri Lanka Cricket for “repeated breach” of the terms of his contract

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2017Fast bowler Lasith Malinga will face a disciplinary inquiry from Sri Lanka Cricket for “repeated breach” of the terms of his contract.The inquiry was precipitated by Malinga’s response to sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, who had alleged Sri Lanka’s poor fielding standards were owed to players’ inadequate fitness – in particular their “big bellies”. Malinga had not taken direct aim at Jayasekara in a stinging response, but nevertheless had implied in an interview that the sports minister was no more than an armchair critic, and had not played cricket at a sufficiently high level for his criticism to be taken seriously.A release from SLC said the fast bowler had twice acted in “contravention of the terms of agreement,” which bar him from making any statements to the media without the prior consent of the board’s Chief Executive Officer.SLC said it had decided to take disciplinary action after Malinga’s first violation around June 19, before a subsequent breach around June 21 prompted the board’s executive committee to expedite the inquiry, which will be conducted by a three-member panel. The findings of the hearing will be forwarded to the executive committee for disciplinary action.SLC also called an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address several issues, which include the resignation of coach Graham Ford, interim appointment of a head coach, and the inquiry against Malinga.

Craig Overton stirred to excellent effect and the result was a Somerset victory that lifted them from despond and left Yorkshire deep in moody self-analysis

Paul Edwards at North Marine Road06-Jul-2017
ScorecardThe warnings were there for Somerset in their first match of the season, slightly less than three months ago, when they began their Division One campaign with an eight-wicket home defeat to Essex, new to the rigours of First Division life. Their situation became graver by the week as they remained stuck at the foot of Division One and their young captain, Tom Abell, stood down from the side because of a loss of form.Finally, at Scarborough, at the eighth time of asking, and with a new captain at the helm, Somerset’s cricketers ended their torment in 2017 with a 179-run victory over the once highly-fancied Yorkshire at Scarborough.”It’s been a tough year, and there’s been some tough words,” said Gregory as Somerset prepared for a long trek home in happy frame of mind. “It’s brilliant to get that first win on the board, and to put in a performance like that is very special. I think I’ll call it quits there and just go with the 100 per cent record as captain.”Somerset remained stoically winless until Liam Plunkett attempted to hit Jack Leach for a fourth six but only nicked the ball to Jim Allenby at slip. Cue delight in Stogumber. Cue street parties in Lydeard St. Lawrence.In truth, though, the cricket had descended into late-innings carnival by the time that last wicket fell. Yorkshire’s attempt to score 337 in 90 overs had long been a laughably optimistic enterprise and the chief giggler was a 6ft 5ins seamer from North Devon whose pace and hostility were appreciated by everyone at North Marine Road, not only the band of hardy supporters with wyverns on their chests.This was Craig Overton’s day and it was Craig Overton’s match. The giant all-rounder took 4 for 47 on this final day at Scarborough and finished the match with career-best figures of 9 for 134. Making good use of a pitch which offered him bounce and carry, Overton discomfited all the batsmen in this game and dismissed every member of Yorkshire’s top order at least once.

Harry Brook, who now has three championship appearances on his CV, looked the most secure of the top order and his appearances may be restricted by the broken hand he sustained in the nets on the final morning

On the day when Somerset at last took closer order on the counties above them, the all-rounder’s cricket displayed the brio that may sustain his county in dark times. No doubt the absent captain, Abell, who has played a couple of second team T20 games this week, was quick to text the players with his congratulations. Abell is that sort of bloke.As for Yorkshire, the bitter truth is that supporters at North Marine Road were more surprised by the rapidity of their side’s collapse than the fact of it. A once formidable batting order which used to cope serenely with England calls now seems riven with an unlucky bag of fallibilities. These weaknesses have been largely responsible for their team losing two of their last three Division One games and trailing leaders Essex by 38 points having played a game more.Harry Brook, who now has three championship appearances on his CV, looked the most secure of the top order and his appearances may be restricted by the broken hand he sustained in the nets on the final morning of this game. Seeking to explain this defeat by referring to the injuries which befell Plunkett and Ryan Sidebottom avoids the central problem which has suddenly befallen Yorkshire cricket. “It won’t do” said someone at North Marine Road before explaining himself in some detail.”We’ve spoken at length about our batting for a long time now but it’s got past the point of talking about it,” said the Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale. “It’s about doing it now and we need to back things up on the field. We didn’t work hard enough and we now want players to respond to what’s happened. Whether that’s by going into the second team and making big runs or by making runs in the T20, you just want to see a response. We’ve been here many a time before with Yorkshire cricket and we can turn this on its head.”Yorkshire’s woes began with the fifth ball of their innings when Alex Lees drove carelessly outside a Lewis Gregory inswinger and heard the ash dancing behind him. But it was not until the fourth over that West Country hope trespassed into the land of belief and it was Overton who led that cautious advance.The delivery which dismissed Brook would have moved the bowels of a Test cricketer, let alone a batsman whose memories of Peppa Pig are still fresh. Short, quick and deeply nasty, it reared up at the 18-year-old and brushed his glove. Steve Davies completed a difficult one-handed catch with deceptive aplomb. Rather less allowance can be made for Peter Handscomb, who pushed forward a trifle at his first ball but was hit on his front pad. Some thought the ball but might have been going over the top but Tim Robinson sent the batsman on his way. Yorkshire were 12 for 3 and the North Devonian did his best to disappear into the arms of his colleagues, a task that proved well beyond him.Four overs later Tom Kohler-Cadmore hooked Overton into the pavilion, where a spectator received a glancing blow but proved himself the sort of chap with whom one would go flying by brushing away all solicitous enquiries. Next ball Kohler-Cadmore failed to cover Overton’s steep bounce and edged the ball to slip where Tim Rouse held on. .For ten overs Adam Lyth and Tim Bresnan scored freely against attacking fields before Lyth, having flattered his supporters briefly, deceived them grievously when he drove at Overton and inside-edged the ball into his wicket. That left Yorkshire on 67 for 5 and all but doomed. The folded arms and the grim expressions said as much.An hour after lunch the players were shaking hands. Jack Leach, who had not been required to bowl in the first innings, took four of the wickets, bowling Tim Bresnan with a ball that pitched on leg but hit off and having Rashid caught at slip. Another tasty bouncer from Overton left Andy Hodd with little option but to scoop the ball to Eddie Byrom at square leg.”I’d like to bowl on that sort of wicket every day,” said Overton. “It was ideal for me and I don’t think I’ve bowled better than I did at the start of the second innings. I’m not sure Harry could have done too much about the ball that got him this morning. It’s one of those you just try and avoid and it can be a tough one to take.”As Overton spoke he was interrupted by Somerset supporters offering their congratulations. This victory is not enough to take their side out of the bottom two places in the table but it offers them hope, enough at any rate to speed them home in good heart this summer evening.

Leeds United fans will have started to 'worry' about their prospects this term due to their decision to take Sam Byram on trial at Elland Road, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Sam Byram returning to Leeds United?

According to Football Insider, Byram has returned to Elland Road on trial in a bid to try and win himself a deal at Leeds United to work under his old boss Daniel Farke.

The Whites are mooted to see the 29-year-old as an inexpensive option to help with depth at left-back, even though he is predominantly a right-back by trade and his arrival may free up expenditure to put to good use elsewhere. As per The Guardian, Thurrock-born Byram started his senior career at Leeds United before joining West Ham United in 2016.

Byram is known well by Leeds United boss Farke and left Norwich City upon the expiration of his £30,000 per week contract at Carrow Road at the end of last season alongside Kieran Dowell and Michael McGovern, who have since headed north of the border to join Rangers and Hearts, respectively.

Following their capture of Ethan Ampadu, who joined from Chelsea in a £7 million transfer earlier this week, 90min report that Leeds United are 'set to reunite' with Byram, which could mean the Englishman is in line to join on a permanent basis.

Last term, Byram made 16 appearances in all competitions for Norwich City and managed to get himself on the scoresheet on one occasion, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones thinks Leeds United fans will worry about the type of recruitment the club may be willing to conduct in light of their decision to take Byram on trial.

Jones told FFC: "What I like about a lot of them [Leeds United's summer targets] is they've got a point to prove. I think that's what Leeds need to do now because Leeds have a point to prove next season and they need to bounce back quickly. You would expect them to be in that promotion hunt next term, but when you're seeing the likes of Sam Byram going back to the club on trial, you're going to start to worry as a Leeds fan because that's absolutely not where you thought the club would be heading straight on the back of relegation, you thought they could set their sights a bit higher than that."

Who else has been linked with Leeds United this window?

According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Leeds United are keen to bring in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Edouard Michut, as he stated on the social media platform: "Excl: Leeds United are among several clubs interested in Edouard Michut from Paris Saint-Germain. Deal will depend on conditions decided by PSG in the coming days."

Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara is reported to have 'agreed terms with the club leadership at Elland Road' ahead of a proposed move to Leed United, as per Last Word On Sports.

Football Insider claim that Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis will be allowed to leave the City Ground this summer amid interest from Leeds United in offering him a chance to ply his trade at Elland Road in 2023/24.

All things considered, Leeds United fans could be in for an intriguing few weeks as Farke starts to shape his squad ahead of their return to Sky Bet Championship action for the first time since 2020.

Reports of discontent in the Indian team over the coach Anil Kumble’s methods are in the “realm of imagination,” according to the BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-20172:05

BCCI secretary ‘not aware’ of team’s discontent with Kumble

Reports of discontent in the Indian team over the coach Anil Kumble’s methods are in the “realm of imagination,” according to the BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary.”[A] question was put to me as to whether something is there or not there. I said I’m not even aware of it. These are purely speculation,” Choudhary told reporters in Birmingham on Thursday.With the deadline for applications for the India coaching job having ended on Wednesday, Choudhary said the shortlist of candidates would be out on Thursday evening. The decision on whether Kumble would continue as coach, he said, would be made by the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.ESPNcricinfo had reported that Virat Kohli had expressed reservations about Kumble as coach and communicated the same to the BCCI’s office bearers and the Committee of Administrators, after which the board chose to advertise for the position. ESPNcricinfo, however, can confirm that we spoke to several people involved with the process, including those whom Kohli spoke to, and we stand by the report.Choudhary, however, said no player had complained about Kumble. When asked about the timing of the advertisement for coach – a week before the Champions Trophy began – Choudhary said there was no other free window for the BCCI.”You can see the full calendar and tell me at what position there was a free slot,” he said. “After one tournament, there is another, then another series. It had to be done at some point. This is a process which is well-defined.”By inviting new applications, Choudhary said, the BCCI was adhering to a process. “The appointment made last year was after a process had been gone through, and at the end of that process an appointment was made. The appointment was made for a period. That period is coming to an end, so the BCCI is just following the process. If you don’t follow a process, it’s not supposed to be good. If you follow a process, it’s supposed to be good, isn’t it?”Kohli had said earlier that he did not have a problem with the BCCI inviting applications for the coaching job. “Even the last time the post was up for a change, the same procedure was applied. With the term being one year, the procedure is being followed in the same manner,” he said. “I don’t see anything very different from what has happened in the past.”Kumble was appointed coach in June 2015 for a one-year term by the previous BCCI administration headed by president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke. India lost only one of their 17 Tests, and won limited-overs series against New Zealand and England, during Kumble’s tenure.

Newcastle United could still look to further strengthen their impressive squad this summer ahead of their Champions League return and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Joachim Andersen?

According to iNews' Northern football correspondent Mark Douglas, Newcastle are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen this summer.

As per a report written for the publication, Douglas claims that the Magpies are prioritising a move for the Premier League ace, but are currently wrestling with Financial Fair Play restrictions.

How good is Joachim Andersen?

Whilst Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the huge progress his squad have shown over his first full season in charge at St James' Park, it will be essential for the North East club to add more depth in key areas of the pitch to ensure they can comfortably compete and rotate players of quality into the team.

After finishing inside the Premier League top four last season, getting to the League Cup final and qualifying for Champions League football, there will be high expectations for the Magpies to remain competitive and continue their pursuit of success and trophies.

As a result, the signing of Andersen could be a great way to strengthen the options available for Howe in the back-line next season and the Crystal Palace titan could eventually become a worthy successor to Fabian Schar.

The Newcastle centre-back will be turning 32 before the year is out and whilst he is still a strong presence in Newcastle's defensive set-up, the sheer number of games that will come their way will result in some much-needed rotation in the team to prevent exhaustion and injury issues.

As per FBref, Andersen ranked third for clearances and eighth for percentage of aerial duels won in the entire Premier League, whilst also ranking in the top 15% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for clearances, aerial duels won and touches per 90 minutes played.

Andersen has been the recipient of high praise for his impact in English football, with pundit Robbie Earle claiming he was something of an unsung asset:

"My underappreciated player of the week goes to Joachim Andersen, the big centre-half on loan from Lyon. He’s 24 years of age – he’s a man back there. He can win it, he can play, looks like he’s got a little bit about him to organise those in and around him."

When comparing the Danish defender's output in the league with Schar's last season, the pair came close in a number of key attributes including pass completion (79.2% v 77.1%), aerial duels won (71.9% v 67.1%), tackles won (22 v 22) and percentage of dribbers tackled (50% v 61.5%).

The 6 foot 2 centre-back joined the south London club for £17m in the summer of 2021, however, it is now revealed by Football Transfers that his market value is around €38m (£33m).

With that being said, if Newcastle could complete the signing of Andersen it would be a major coup, as his Premier League experience and similarities in his qualities compared to Schar could see him make an instant impact at St James' Park next season to become a key component in their fight for silverware.

The transfer season is a mixed time for managers. On the one hand, it’s their chance to link up with players they’ve always dreamed of working with. On the other, however, they are occasionally left with the decision of banishing players to the U23s, or watching on as a brutal transfer request is slammed on their desk first thing on a Monday morning.Some handle it better than others when it comes to the questions surrounding a player’s future, too. Whilst some managers keep their cards close to their chest, others opt for the killer approach of throwing the departing player out the door in incredibly public fashion.In the case of Ange Postecoglou, he has handled things very well when it comes to the rumours linking Harry Kane with a move to Bayern Munich this summer.

What did Ange Postecoglou say?

Speaking in his first press conference, Postecoglou joked about how long it took him to be asked about Kane, claiming that his staff has a sweepstake running regarding it.

He told Hayters TV: “So it’s question three, it was [to ask about] Harry, was it? Okay, we were running a pool with the coaches. I think Mile Jedinak won actually.

“I had over six because I thought you’d care more about me than Harry.”

The witty response, which received laughs around the room, came after the new Spurs boss held a pool with his coaching staff on how many questions it would take for a journalist to ask about Kane. The Australian lost by some distance, as it took just three questions for the star striker’s future to come into the conversation.

Going on to speak about the rebuild needed at Tottenham Hotspur, the former Celtic manager said, via The Guardian: “When there is resistance, it slows the process down. What I’ve made clear is it won’t change the process, it won’t change me.

“It’ll maybe derail it for a little bit but it won’t derail it for long because I won’t allow it. The quicker they jump on the train, the quicker we’ll get to our destination.”

How many career goals does Kane have?

Kane’s importance to Spurs cannot be reiterated enough, but if you need reminding, it’s key to note that the England captain has scored 354 senior career goals, with 280 of those coming for the North London club. The fact is, he has been one of the best in his position for a number of years, and is one of the best strikers in Premier League history.

So, with that said, if Postecoglou was forced to replace Kane this summer, it would be no easy task, especially given Spurs’ lack of European football next season.

According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports, Bayern Munich have made a second bid of €80m (£68.32m), plus add-ons for the Spurs striker, who reportedly wants to make the move.

As things stand, Kane has just one year left on his current contract at the club, and could leave for free next summer. From a Spurs perspective, losing their star man would potentially be a disaster, but losing him for free could be catastrophic too.

This could explain why, according to The Telegraph, Kane will be offered a mammoth £400k-p/w contract if he does commit his future to Spurs.

The rebuild needed in North London could be funded by the striker’s potential move away. Though, with plenty of twists left in the current transfer window, we may well see Kane opt to stay put in the Premier League.

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2017
ScorecardTom Kohler-Cadmore ensured Worcestershire gained a daunting lead•Getty ImagesIt has been a wretched start to Glamorgan’s Championship season and, after losing heavily in the first game, they are again struggling against Worcestershire in front of their own supporters in Cardiff.They still trail by 55, and it will require a massive effort from the remaining batsmen to avoid a second defeat. They will resume on 141 for 3, with Colin Ingram on 41 and Aneurin Donald on 10.Worcestershire resumed in the morning at 180 for 4, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Ben Cox taking their fifth-wicket partnership to 116 before Cox was caught behind off Michael Hogan for 42. Kohler-Cadmore rarely played a false stroke and when Lukas Carey overpitched he was struck for three successive fours through the offside.Ed Barnard survived a confident appeal for leg before early in his stay, but then settled into the third productive partnership of the innings.Kohler-Cadmore should have been out on 95, when Nick Selman dropped a straightforward chance at cover, before going on to reach his century from 157 balls. He reached the landmark by driving Hogan to the boundary, but the bowler got his revenge with the next ball when the batsman edged behind to give Cooke his fifth catch of the innings.Although Joe Leach went cheaply in the over before lunch, Barnard went on to reach a his fifty – his third in Championship cricket – and can now be classed as a genuine allrounder, having started his career as a promising medium pacer. Meanwhile, John Hastings was soon into his stride, and one violent shot past Carey rebounded from the advertising boards.When Josh Tongue was run out by a direct hit from Kieran Carlson, Worcestershire needed a further 29 runs for the fifth and maximum batting point. Hastings and Jack Shantry reached the target with ease, with Hastings reaching his half-century in his first innings for Worcestershire before holing out at deep mid-off.Facing a deficit of 196, and after losing by an innings in less than two days at Northampton, there were mutterings among the members that Glamorgan might not be able to last the remaining 42 overs after tea.However, Jacques Rudolph and Nick Selman, showing more resolve and application, silenced the doubters in a stand of 74 for the first wicket, easily the best opening partnership of the two games.It ended when Tongue, a 19-year-old seam bowler from Redditch, was brought on in the 25th over and removed Rudolph for 29 – the batsman playing over a full delivery. Three balls later, Tongue accounted for Glamorgan’s top scorer in their first innings, David Lloyd, who was trapped in the crease and palpably leg before.Ingram, on a king pair, was untroubled from the start, playing some sumptuous drive through the off side and, although he saw Selman removed by Hastings for 42, he remained until the close.

Tottenham Hotspur could tempt Italian giants Inter Milan with a bid to sign midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu this summer, according to reports.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

The arrival of new manager Ange Postecoglou has also marked the signings of three major players, with Dejan Kulusevski, Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison joining Spurs in that order.

Kulusevski has put pen to paper on a permanent deal from Juventus, after spending the last 18 months on loan, while both Vicario and Maddison have been signed in this summer transfer window.

Postecoglou, speaking to Tottenham’s official website (via football.london), says the latter duo have a perfect mentality suited to a Spurs team he’s looking to build

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers,” said Postecoglou.

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room.”

Manor Solomon, who is joining on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk, is also in London for a medical today as Tottenham close in on a fourth signing.

As the hunt for a new defender continues, with both Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba heavily linked, there is a surprise claim that Tottenham could move for Calhanoglu from Inter.

That’s according to Inter Live.it, who say Spurs could end up tempting the Champions League finalists with an offer of around £30 million for the Turk.

They add this bid comes “out of nowhere” and to “especially” keep on eye out for Tottenham’s approach.

“Several British companies could, in fact, end up attempting an alleged offensive advance against Calhanoglu at any moment,” wrote the outlet.

“United and Chelsea aside, keep an eye out especially for Tottenham: a club that has set itself the goal of strengthening its midfield and that, out of nowhere, could even end up tempting the Nerazzurri by placing an offer of 35 million euros on the plate.”

What’s been said about Hakan Calhanoglu?

Last season, the 29-year-old averaged Inter’s second-highest performance rating per 90 (7.07), a number only bettered by their star striker Lautaro Martinez (WhoScored).

Over his 33 appearances, Calhanoglu racked up nine goal contributions, three goals and six assists, all while making more key passes per than any other Nerazzurri star (WhoScored).

Journalist Josh Bunting, writing on Twitter last year, also lauded the international attacker’s “absolutely sensational” range of passing.