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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.

AB de Villiers, who missed the IPL 2017 season opener with a back injury, is a doubtful starter for Royal Challengers’ second match as well

Deivarayan Muthu in Bengaluru06-Apr-2017AB de Villiers, who missed the IPL 2017 season opener with a back injury, is a doubtful starter for Royal Challengers Bangalore’s second match against Delhi Daredevils in Bengaluru on Saturday as well. De Villiers said the franchise will take a call on his fitness after a training session on Thursday. He also confirmed that he will not keep wicket this season.De Villiers was initially set to captain RCB while full-time captain Virat Kohli recovers from a shoulder injury, but then he had to pull out of the final of the Momentum Cup, South Africa’s premier domestic one-day tournament, last Friday.”Even though I’m very very keen to get on the field, I’ll make sure that I’m 100% fit,” de Villiers said on Thursday. “Because, if you go on the park and you’re 90%, you might be out for longer anyway. It doesn’t make sense. I am going to test it [the back] out this afternoon. We’ve got a nets session. I’ll hit a couple of balls, see what it feels like, and then we’ll make a call.”RCB are also missing their regular wicketkeeper KL Rahul due to injury. Maharashtra’s part-time wicketkeeper Kedhar Jadhav – he has kept in 24 matches out of 263 across formats – took the gloves against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but did not look comfortable against either spin or pace. Before the tournament, RCB coach Daniel Vettori had said they might consider de Villiers for the role, but the batsman has said no.”I will definitely not consider wicketkeeping,” de Villiers said. “I’ll miss the next five years if I start keeping again. My back won’t allow that. My back is sore because of all those years of keeping.”Given the number of first-choice players RCB were missing through injury, de Villiers said the team was always going to find the opening game tough. They ended up losing the match by 35 runs, their worst loss in terms of runs since April 2013.”Last night’s game was always going to be difficult,” de Villiers said. “It is the first game of the season. The [Royal Challengers] team that played the final last year and the team that played last night, I think there were about five or six changes. So, it was always going to be difficult to hit the ground running without Virat [Kohli], myself, and KL Rahul, all leaders in their own right. But I have never doubted the skill and the talent of the team. I have no doubt in my mind that we will come back strong from this.”Kohli, like Rahul, was missing due to injuries picked up in the preceding Test series against Australia. De Villiers said he had initially doubted Kohli’s leadership skills, given his public displays of emotion, but was happy with what he saw during India’s extended home Test season.”I think it has been an amazing journey to watch him grow as a leader. I think, at the start, when the people mentioned to me he has leadership qualities and might become a captain one day, I doubted it. I thought he was emotional with his reactions. [Now] I think he has found a way to deal with it. He has showed he has skills with his captaincy and he has taken all the doubters and showed them he can conquer anything.”He did not have the best of series with bat in hand in the last series [against Australia] but what stood out for me was his leadership. He led from the front and that showed. I think that’s the greatest test for a captain – when you don’t do well personally and how you come through as a captain. He came through with flying colours.”

Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement in principle with Clement Lenglet over a three-year contract, according to reports from Spain.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham are now edging closer towards completing a deal for James Maddison, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting contracts and documents are set to be completed in the next 24 hours, before the move will finally be made official.

It is not only attacking areas in which Ange Postecoglou is looking to strengthen, with several new defenders also being considered, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Edmond Tapsoba, Micky van de Ven, and at least one other.

As well as looking at options from elsewhere, Postecoglou is also keen to bring Barca loanee Lenglet back to the club on a permanent basis, and there has now been an update on Spurs' pursuit of the defender.

According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Tottenham remain in continuous contacts with the La Liga club over a deal for the Frenchman, and there has been some progress made on the player's side in recent days.

Spurs have now reached an agreement in principle with the 28-year-old over a three-year deal, meaning the only obstacle remaining is agreeing a fee with Barcelona, who are keen to get him off the wage bill.

A transfer fee of €10m (£8.6m) is currently being considered, with the Lilywhites aware of Barca's desire to sell the defender, and unwilling to overspend.

Is Clement Lenglet joining Tottenham?

At this stage, it seems very likely the France international will complete a switch to north London, considering his current club are so eager to get rid of him, and there is evidence he could be a solid addition to Postecoglou's squad.

Hailed as a "brilliant" talent by members of the media, the former Sevilla man put in some promising performances on loan last season, capping off the campaign with a 7.1 Sofascore rating against Leeds United, after making 13 clearances, the most of any player.

The £145k-per-week defender did struggle at times, however, putting in a particularly disappointing performance in the 2-2 draw against Manchester United in April, winning just one of the eight duels he contested.

A fee of £8.6m is hardly going to break the bank for Tottenham, so Lenglet is certainly worth bringing back to the club as a depth option, but Postecoglou will be hoping the centre-back can become more consistent in his second season in the Premier League.

Ashish Nehra, soon to turn 38, believes he would be handy to the Indian team during the Champions Trophy in England later this year and has been working towards regaining his place

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Feb-20170:44

Quick Facts: Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra has expressed a strong desire to make a comeback to India’s ODI team. Though he last played in the format in the 2011 World Cup, Nehra has said he retains hopes of playing fifty-over cricket for India again when they land in England in June for the Champions Trophy.”I would love to play in the Champions Trophy,” Nehra told ESPNcricinfo. “When you go to England you will take at least four fast bowlers in addition to two spinners. I know I can bowl anywhere: up front, in the middle overs and at death. I can also share the experience I have with the other young fast bowlers.”Nehra’s last competitive fifty-over match – the recent practice game against England notwithstanding – was in December 2015. But that doesn’t deter him. He says he has worked out a detailed plan for his comeback, which includes playing at least half of Delhi’s six matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier one-day tournament.”I aim to play at least three matches to build up my match-fitness. Fifty-overs is a different challenge and Vijay Hazare is a good platform to test myself,” Nehra said. “I bowl about eight overs even in the nets while preparing for a T20 match. It is not about fitness. It is about the feel of playing in a 50-over match.”It was Nehra’s success in the IPL, initially at Chennai Super Kings and then with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, that brought him back in contention for India in T20 cricket. The selectors could not ignore the key role he played for those teams, keeping it tight with the new ball and bowling yorkers at the death. The confidence gained from a successful reintegration to international cricket is apparent in Nehra. “Once I play these Vijay Hazare matches I will be fit enough to play and good to go for the Champions Trophy.”During his time out of the ODI team, Nehra has maintained form through the IPL•BCCINehra’s original timeline had him working towards returning to one-day cricket with the New Zealand series last October but he fell ill and was forced to spend a couple of months on the sidelines.A match-winning 3 for 28 against England in the second T20I and more recently hauls of 2 for 35 and 3 for 26 for North Zone in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy suggest Nehra has regained his fitness. At 38, he is the oldest active player in the Indian team but that does little to diminish his value. Nehra still bowls at speeds of 135 to 140 kph and his experience – he will complete 18 years in international cricket at the end of February – makes him sort of a father figure for the young fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, too, has acknowledged Nehra’s importance, saying he can be handy in English conditions.Nehra is hopeful these assets help make him an attractive pick for the Champions Trophy but felt it premature to think as far as the next ICC tournament. “The 2019 World Cup is still two-and-a-half years away. We are going to play at least 50 one-dayers in between. For me every tournament is important. I will try to play as much as I can.”

Asela Gunaratne, who struck 84 runs in a match-winning effort in Geelong, said the support Sri Lanka received during the first two T20s helped win the series

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Feb-2017A partisan Melbourne crowd played its part in Sri Lanka’s exquisite series victory, Asela Gunaratne said after his unbeaten knock of 84 from 46 balls in only his sixth T20 international propelled Sri Lanka to their 174 target in Geelong.Partisan because although the first two T20s were ostensibly away matches, Sri Lanka’s limited-overs games in Melbourne have long attracted booming support from the large Sri Lankan population in the city. Most of the 41,000 in attendance at the MCG on Friday had been Sri Lanka supporters, and the Geelong – an hour’s drive from Melbourne – crowd had been no different. “Papare” music was heard in the stands, which also produced roars of delight when the winning runs were struck as Gunaratne’s team-mates charged the field to hoist him up on their shoulders.”There was so much support, it was like we were playing in Sri Lanka,” Gunaratne said. “That’s a huge strength for us – the way they were always cheering. It helped us finish the match.”We had a chance to win the series, and if we had missed that chance, it would have been a big waste. I was really happy. Winning a series in Australia is something special.”A Sri Lanka victory seemed unlikely for a large portion of the chase, because by the end of the fifth over they were reduced to 5 for 41. The required rate then climbed to ten by the halfway stage, but Gunaratne felt there always seemed a “good chance of winning” so he plotted Sri Lanka’s way out of the hole they had got themselves in.First came the 52-run stand with Chamara Kapugedera, which allowed Gunaratne to settle at the crease – even if those runs had come at only 6.5 an over. From there, Gunaratne worked to put Sri Lanka within striking distance in the final overs. When 36 runs were required from the last 12 balls, he sprung spectacularly into action.Asela Gunaratne struck three consecutive sixes in the penultimate over as Sri Lanka clinched a memorable series win•AFP”My plan with two overs left was to hit 20 runs in that over – preferably without running at all,” Gunaratne said. “Thankfully, 22 came in that over and when it got down to 14 off the last one, that was much easier. Well, no matter how tough it is, it’s something that had to be done. In the end, it worked out.”Gunaratne had been kept scoreless off the first ball of that penultimate over, but struck sixes off each of the next three balls to loosen Australia’s grip on the game. He was constantly shuffling to the offside to open up leg, and said he always had a good idea where his best boundary options were.”I was always looking to target those small boundaries” he said. “The longer sides were obviously going to be harder to hit to. It all paid off and I’m very happy, because all I thought of was finishing the match.”Sri Lanka No. 3 Dilshan Munaweera said Gunaratne’s innings made his team-mates’ “dreams come true”.”From a Sri Lankan, I think that’s the best T20 knock I’ve seen,” Munaweera said. “He was hitting such good bowlers – the Australian bowlers have recently played the Big Bash, so they were on rhythm. He made it count and batted through the innings. We [the players] were like supporters [in the dugout] and he made our dreams come true.”Sri Lanka are yet to lose a T20 international in Australia after five matches there. Though they do not have a flagship T20 domestic tournament like Australia do, Munaweera said Sri Lanka have a natural inclination to the shortest format.”Altogether we have played so much competitive cricket in T20s – not just here,” he said. “If you look at our stats, we’ve been to plenty of finals in the World T20, and we have won once. I think it doesn’t matter where we play. The format is suited to us, and our boys are on the game.”

Rangers "should be in a place" within a week to "cement" their deal for Los Angeles FC's Jose Cifuentes and get him "through the door", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Ranger transfer news – what's the latest on Jose Cifuentes?

The opening weeks of the summer transfer window have already seen a flurry of new faces make their way to Ibrox, such as Ben Davies from Liverpool and Ridvan Yilmaz from Besiktas.

In total, the Teddy Bears have already spent £12.42m on new arrivals and welcomed ten new players to the club.

This busyness has somewhat slowed the club's pursuit of Ecuadorian midfielder Cifuentes. However, with much of their dealings now complete, the club can focus their attention back towards the dynamic midfielder.

The player will be entering the final six months of his contract with the Californian club from July 1st and will be free to sign a pre-contract with the Glaswegian giants.

The Daily Mail has reported that Rangers expect the 24-year-old to 'pen-to-paper' with them next month, from which point they will attempt to negotiate a fee for his early release from the American side.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Jose Cifuentes to Rangers?

Jones was confident the deal would soon be completed, and the Gers would have their man.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I think in a week we should be in a place where Rangers are looking to cement this one and get Cifuentes through the door."

How good is Jose Cifuentes?

The Major League Soccer season is currently underway, so there is slightly less data on his most recent campaign to comb through.

Still, according to WhoScored, the Ecuadorian international has averaged a respectable match rating of 6.78 across his 15 games so far this term, assisting two goals along the way.

He has garnered high praise from his own countrymen as well, with Ecuadorian football expert Benedikt Duda saying:

"Cifuentes is a no.8, who is physical and strong in defence with a tendency to get involved in the attack.

His assistant manager Marc Dos Santos went a step further, suggesting the player could offer even more going forward, saying:

"Cifuentes is a bit more forward-thinking and is best suited as a no.8 or even as a no.10. I would describe him almost as a half-eight."

Dos Santos might just be onto something as well, as according to FBref, the 24-year-old gem averages 1.21 successful take-ons,0.21 expected assists, 0.17 non-penalty expected goals, 2.69 touches in the oppositions penalty area and 4.24 sho-creating actions, all per 90.

Those characteristics could help him take the Scottish Premiership by storm and help Rangers reclaim the league title from their cross-city rivals, Celtic.

If the Gers can get this deal done, they could have a burgeoning star on their books.

Leeds United could target Danny Ings this summer to solve their goalscoring issues as they prepare for life in the Sky Bet Championship, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Danny Ings?

Speaking to West Ham Zone earlier this month, former Hammers icon Frank McAvennie claimed that Ings wasn't a signing that David Moyes was overly keen on when he joined the club from Aston Villa for £15 million in January, stating:

"Someone told me it wasn’t David Moyes who brought him in. It’s starting to look as if it might be right. He’s an out-and-out striker but that’s not what David wants. We don’t create that many chances."

He later added: "I don’t know, maybe he just turned up and [Moyes] said ‘what are you doing here?’ It’s not a team for Ings so he’d probably be moving on I imagine. He’ll want to play and score goals. If you’re not wanted you’ll want to go.”

Ings has failed to set the heather alight since pitching up at the London Stadium and has managed to record three goals and two assists from 22 appearances for West Ham United in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the £125k-a-week ace has a solid record across his senior career and has made his name as a respected marksman in English football, bagging 123 goals and 39 assists in 372 appearances.

Football Insider also claim that West Ham United – "goal machine" – could be in the market for a new striker this summer as David Moyes seeks to add some extra firepower to his frontline.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Leeds United could be an ideal fit for both parties as the 30-year-old would bring a 'guarantee of goals' at Elland Road.

Jones told FFC: "If he was at surplus to requirements and became available then absolutely Leeds should be giving that a go. Leeds really suffered in front of goal last season and while there is hope that Bamford can make up for that this year, Ings would be a guarantee of goals."

Who have Leeds United been linked with this summer?

Leeds United will need to make several additions as they look to transition to life in the Sky Bet Championship following a three-year stint in the Premier League.

Corriere dello Sport via Leeds Live claim that Lens striker Lois Openda could be an option at Elland Road; however, he may cost in the region of £25 million.

As per Football Insider, Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres is also a name that has been mentioned in connection with the Whites in the transfer window.

Earlier this year, The Guardian claimed that Manchester City youngster Shea Charles is being tracked by Leeds United amid competition from Borussia Dortmund and Brentford.

A round-up of East Zone matches in the Inter State T20 tournament played on February 1, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2017Jharkhand slumped to their third straight defeat in the Inter-State T20 tournament, falling short by 24 runs against Tripura at the Eden Gardens. They had raced to 106 for 2 by the 13th over in pursuit of 193, but lost three wickets in three overs from that point. Opener Shasheem Rathour scored an unbeaten 70 off 53 balls, but they managed only 168. Earlier, they had put Tripura in and conceded 32 extras; this was the second-highest contribution to Tripura’s score, behind Udiyan Bose’s 74 off 38. Their eventual total of 192 was achieved thanks to a late surge – they scored 23 off four balls before losing wickets of consecutive deliveries to be bowled out in 19.5 overs.File photo – Wriddhiman Saha hit an unbeaten 74 off 45 balls as Bengal won by ten wickets against Assam•BCCIShreevats Goswami scored 71, Wriddhiman Saha scored 74, and the pair put on an unbroken 150 for the opening wicket as Bengal defeated Assam by ten wickets in the day’s second game. Bengal had restricted Assam to 146 after losing the toss. Assam captain KB Arun Karthik was among the three batsmen in the entire match to go past 20 – incidentally, he also remained unbeaten in the seventies, scoring a career-best 76 off 47 balls. The rest of Assam’s line-up couldn’t get going, restricted in particular by medium-pacer Sayan Ghosh who took 3 for 30. In response, Bengal’s openers chased the score down in 16 overs.