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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Boubacar Kamara to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal, who claim that all of Tottenham, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Southampton are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Olympique de Marseille central midfielder, who is set to leave the Orange Velodrome on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract with the Ligue 1 side this summer.

However, the report goes on to state that it is Atletico Madrid who are currently in pole position for the 22-year-old’s signature, with the France U21 international believed to be keen on the challenge of LaLiga and working with Diego Simeone.

Although, Goal also suggest that, with Antonio Conte – as well as the other interested parties from England – being able to offer the youngster a much bigger salary than the Spanish side, Kamara could yet decide on a move to the Premier League ahead of a switch to Spain.

Conte can axe Winks with Kamara

Considering the sheer amount of potential Kamara quite clearly possesses, in addition to Harry Winks having regressed greatly over the last year, it is easy to see why Tottenham would be interested in a move for the Marseille starlet this summer.

Indeed, over his 25 Ligue 1 appearances this season, the £22.5m-rated midfielder has been in breathtaking form for Jorge Sampaoli’s side, scoring one goal and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.8 key passes, 1.2 interceptions, two tackles, 59.1 passes and winning 5.6 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £46k-per-week dynamo who Rolando dubbed a “phenomenon” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as the Phocaeans’ second-best performer in the top flight of French football.

Furthermore, FBref rank the 22-year-old in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, in addition to the top 6% for passes completed, the top 28% for progressive passes, the top 26% for progressive carries, the top 33% for tackles and the top 35% for interceptions over the last 365 days.

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As such, with the £91k-per-week Harry Winks – who Dan Kilpatrick dubbed “out of form” earlier this season – looking as if he does not have a future at Spurs under Conte, having been offered to Leeds United in the January transfer window, it would appear wise for the 52-year-old to finally axe the England international on a permanent basis this summer, before reinvesting the money saved from his hefty weekly wage into a move for the much more exciting Kamara.

AND in other news: “I understand…”: Gold drops big behind-the-scenes Spurs update, Conte will be fuming

	Andrew Flintoff went under the surgeon’s knife in October and has since been recovering in America © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff could make a long-awaited comeback playing for the England Lions on their tour of India, according to the chairman of selectors, David Graveney.”They are very happy with his rehab,” Graveney said after announcing England’s two squads to tour New Zealand next month. “There is a possibility, if his rehab goes to plan, of him going on the Lions tour at the end of January.”Flintoff, 30, underwent keyhole ankle surgery in October and has since been recovering in America. He hasn’t played a Test match since the fifth Test of the 2006-07 Ashes in Sydney, and although he wasn’t considered for England’s tour of New Zealand, Graveney said he could feature for the Lions when they play in India’s Duleep Trophy.”He’s very keen to get back playing cricket so there is a possibility ofhim joining up as a batsman only as part of his rehab,” Graveney said. “Everyone has their fingers crossed to get him back bowling and at this stage it is going according to plan.”The Lions depart for India on January 24.

Jamaica coasted to a seven-wicket win against Guyana at Kensington Park, chasing down the target of 63 in just under two hours. Fast bowler Andrew Richardson picked up the last two Guyana wickets as the visitors were dismissed for 232. Darwin Christian, the overnight batsman, was bowled by Richardson for 37 and Veerasammy Permaul drove Richardson straight to Danza Hyatt at mid-on.Jamaica got off to a shaky start, as Esuan Crandon bowled Brenton Parchment off the inside edge and had Hyatt caught at slip to leave them at 9 for 2. Wavell Hinds hung around to polish off the remaining runs and seal the victory.Amit Jaggernauth’s five-wicket haul helped Trinidad & Tobago register a comfortable 215-run victory against Leeward Islands at Couva. Chasing 403, Leewards were dismissed for 187, with offspinner Jaggernauth finishing with 5 for 48.Leewards, resuming at their overnight score of 118 for 4 showed little resistance as they lost their last six wickets for just 69 runs. Jaggernauth sliced through the middle and lower order and was supported by left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed, who took two wickets. This was T&T’s maiden victory in the tournament year’s Carib Beer Series, and they now have 20 points from three games.Windward Islands crashed to 91 all out to give Barbados a 141-run victory on the final day at Portsmouth. Set to chase 233 in a minimum of 60 overs, the home side crumbled, losing their last six wickets for just 10 runs. Earlier, Barbados declared their second innings on 183 for 9 shortly after lunch, giving either side a shot at registering an outright victory.Barbados offspinner Ryan Austin was the most impressive bowler, taking 4 for 26 in 12 overs to engineer the collapse. Liam Sebastian, who retired hurt in the first innings, resisted with 32 in the second while the rest faltered. The strong Barbados seam attack of Corey Collymore, Tino Best and Pedro Collins shared the first three wickets, before the spinners took over. Windwards paid the price for some rash strokes.Barbados, in their second innings showed a lot of urgency to push the scoring but lost wickets at regular intervals in the process. After an opening stand of 81, they were suddenly caught off guard, losing five wickets for 33 runs, with Kenroy Peters, the left-arm seamer, claimed four top-order wickets. Kevin Edwards and Patrick Browne consolidated, adding 40 for the sixth wicket, before Ryan Hinds declared the innings.With this victory, Barbados now have 30 points, ahead of Jamaica while Windwards are languishing at the bottom of the table with seven points.

Ian Bell ‘just needs to mature as a cricketer’ © Getty Images

Alec Stewart, the former England captain, has come out in support of Ian Bell, who looked to be dropped for the Tests against Pakistan but now has a chance of making it back into the team because of Michael Vaughan’s injury.”I believe he will score 5,000 Test runs – he’s going to be that good a player,” said Stewart, one of just 16 England players to pass that mark. “I believe Bell will be that good that we’ve got to stick with him.”Bell scored 297 runs in his first three Tests but struggled against Australia, with two half-centuries and seven single-figure scores during the Ashes. He also struggled in the opening tour match in Pakistan, when he made just three in two innings and was then left out of the side that lost to Pakistan A.But Stewart, Bell’s mentor and agent, told BBC Radio Five Live: “He just needs to mature as a cricketer. He won’t come up against anything tougher than this Ashes series he’s just played in. Even though he didn’t set the world alight, he will have learned so much and that will turn him into a better international cricketer.”Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, Dominic Cork, the former England fast bowler, questioned the selection of Paul Collingwood as an allrounder for the series. “I’d rather see an out-and-out batter. If Collingwood is the next best batsman in line then fair enough but he wouldn’t be my choice.” But Stewart differed with his former team-mate. “Duncan Fletcher doesn’t make too many bad judgement calls and he believes Collingwood is a special player.”

The cricket ground at Galle in the aftermath of the tsunami© Getty Images

An Australian businessman based in Sri Lanka has called on Australians to help rebuild Galle International Stadium which was devastated by last week’s tsunami.Eight days after the disaster, the ground is almost entirely wrecked, with many of the stands gone and the playing area strewn with debris.”Basically, the cricket ground has largely been destroyed. That was one of the places where the major water hit,” Karl Steinberg, the owner of the Galle Fort Hotel, told AAP. “With the cricket ground, the water came in from both sides. It came around the port and met in the middle of the cricket ground and the bus stand. That’s why there was so much devastation in that area.”So the ground itself is destroyed, the fence is destroyed, parts of the grandstand are destroyed.”While all efforts concentrate on the human disaster – Between 5,000 and 10,000 people are thought to have perished in the gigantic waves which hit Galle – Steinberg said that rejuvenation of the ground could be a vital symbol of hope for the people of the city and Sri Lanka.”If people could actually re-grass that, repaint and restructure the cricket ground, and put the fence up again, that would be a great symbol to Galle that things can be done,” he explained. “What we need is some people who understand cricket pitches and cricket grass.”The really inspiring thing about Australians helping will be that Australians have always played here and the Australians are seen as great contestants and great heroes here, especially the battle between and Warney and Murali, the great international battle. The other thing is that it would be something that would have enormous impact very quickly. It would be a fantastic symbol to the town that people cared and that the cricket community cared as well.”Steinberg added that it would be fitting if the ground could be used for an international fundraiser, along the same lines as the game scheduled for Melbourne on January 10. “If people rebuilt the ground and then had a match, that would be a true symbol to the international community that Sri Lanka was on its way back,” he explained. “It’s exactly what it needs right now.”

Imagine that you’re president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA). You need a communications director who can successfully guide the team over potential public relations hurdles. Who are you going to call? The best man for the job, of course, even if that’s a woman.

Enter Bronwyn Wilkinson, the 35-year-old mother of one who took up the post in March 2000. When Wilkinson first began at the UCBSA, she feared the onset of boredom. Six weeks after her appointment the Cronjegate scandal erupted, and in the two years since, that pesky “b” word has kept a low profile.

As the liaison between the players and the press, Wilkinson has steered the South African team through controversies that would have made lesser mortals crumble. Recent media challenges finding their way into the in-tray include the unofficial-Test debacle between South Africa and India, the ensuing furore over Mike Denness, poor Test performances, and squabbles over selection procedures, including the sensitive quota issue. It’s a big song-sheet for a one-woman band.

“I’m the only person in the department,” she explains. “The pressure is unbelievable, but my background stands me in good stead.” Starting as a crime reporter, Wilkinson moved through the journalistic ranks, eventually becoming the editor of the Saturday Star sports newspaper. The UCBSA gig seemed the perfect career opportunity.

“I’d always loved sport,” she says. “I knew I could mix it with the guys as I’d spent much of my working life in sports departments.” And the reaction to a woman wielding power in the press gallery? “It took a while to earn the respect of journalists,” she says. “They tested me out, waited to see how much I knew about cricket. Some of the guys were patronising, but the way to handle it is to be myself, do my job and if people feel that I’m not doing it effectively they must tell me.”

As far as the team is concerned, Wilkinson believes that being a woman makes her job easier. “I think I have more sensitivity towards the players, because it’s part of being female,” she says. “I try not to police press conferences, but feel comfortable teaching the guys about the importance of the media and the techniques involved.”

Combining the duties of motherhood with touring, however, has not been so enjoyable. “I have a seven-year-old son and I can’t see myself doing this forever. I can’t understand how the guys on tour can sit in their hotel rooms and watch television. I literally drop my bags and go walking.”

For Bronwyn Wilkinson the challenges of the job aren’t likely to stop any time soon. “There are obstacles for women in this industry and for South African cricket as a whole,” she adds. “Sport and politics are so interwoven in this country and the public demands a lot from the players. But I’d rather be run off my feet than sitting idle.” As communications director for one of the most controversial teams in the game, Wilkinson may as well remove the word boredom from her dictionary forever.

Christine Davey is a freelance cricket writer from Winchelsea, Victoria. She intends retiring to the West Indies to watch cricket and snooze in the sun. Until that plan is financially possible, she writes sports stories and arts reviews.

Hyderabad had a satisfying opening day against Himachal Pradesh at theGymkhana Ground, Secunderabad. The hosts dismissed the visitors for192 runs before reaching an impressive 69 for no loss in reply.In the morning, Himachal opted to bat. Opener Nischal Gaur, who made99, played a lone hand as the home team bowlers led by Narendra PalSingh ran through the remaining batsmen like knife through butter.Singh, who claimed five for 27, and Venkatapathy Raju, who claimed twowickets, were the pick of the home team bowlers.The Hyderabad openers, Daniel Manohar and A Nand Kishore, then,consolidated the home team’s position, batting soundly on their way to28 and 39 respectively from 61 balls each.

A sparkling 108 from young opener Jonathan Trott helped defending Standard Bank Cup champions Boland to their first win in the competition this season at Boland Park on Friday night. After posting a score in excess of 200 – always a good effort in Paarl – they eventually ran out winners by 28 runs over North West.The nineteen year-old Trott emphasised exactly why he is rated so highly by those who have seen him at the crease over the past twelve months, overcoming a stodgy start before finding his timing and dominating the North West attack. The Stellenbosch student was a revelation last year and is looking to build on a good start to what promises to be a long professional career.North West do a laudable job, making the best of limited resources, but they never looked likely to threaten the Boland total. After being tied down by the left arm spin of Con de Lange, who opened the bowling for Boland, the visitors failed to give their innings any real momentum and faded to finish a clear second. Although Arno Jacobs batted beautifully for his 79, when he was seventh out with the score on 148, Boland knew they had the points.Boland had never looked likely to reach 200 after a lethargic start which saw them pass the 50 mark as late as the 19th over. At that stage, Trott’s opening partner James Henderson was already back in the pavilion after offering a chance to Jacobs at point when he had made just five.Trott meanwhile was struggling to find his rhythm, trying to force the ball away on a pitch which was playing extremely slowly. He was lucky his frustration did not get the better of him as twice he was let off by North West, first on 13 when Corrie Jordaan failed to hold a tough chance atmid-on, and then just an over later offering another difficult chance which Mark Lavine failed to pouch.While Trott battled, Louis Koen, Justin Ontong and Pieter Barnard were all offering reassuring support at the other end, scoring more freely and helping Boland accelerate away from their sluggish opening. But while they wasted good starts, Trott was building on his more shaky foundations, finding his timing and the boundary ropes more and more frequently. His 100 came in the final over and was followed by a cracking six over midwicket. The coup de grace was then supplied by Steve Palframan who smashed the most unorthodox of sixes over the square-leg ropes off the final ball of the innings.

Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan suffered a suspected back injury during the 1-0 win away to Everton over the weekend, according to a hint from his manager.

The Lowdown: Hwang injured in Wolves win

Bruno Lage’s team battled their way to a deserved victory at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon as they jumped to seventh place in the Premier League table.

The match was decided by Conor Coady’s well-taken header in the second half, with Wolves continuing to bounce back from a disappointing run of form in recent weeks.

Hwang was injured early in the match, though, being forced to leave the field with just 16 minutes on the clock as he was replaced by Daniel Podence.

The Latest: Lage hints at potential back injury for Hwang

As per The Express & Star, Lage believes that Hwang may have suffered a back injury, with the 25-year-old potentially facing a spell on the sidelines.

The report stated: ‘Hwang Hee-chan came off after 20 minutes with an injury and although Lage could not confirm his condition, he hinted that it may be a back issue.’

[freshpress-quiz id=“388797″]

The Verdict: Neto’s chance to shine?

Hwang’s injury is an undoubted blow for Wolves at an important point in the season. Indeed, Lage hailed the South Korean as a ‘top player’ earlier in the campaign, having scored five league goals in 2021/22 thus far.

If there is a silver lining from that body blow, it may allow Pedro Neto a more prolonged spell back in the team on the left flank, having only started one game since returning from a long injury layoff.

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The 22-year-old will be desperate to make his mark after such a prolonged spell out of the team, possibly beginning with the home clash against Leeds United on Friday night, should Lage feel that he is ready to fill the void left by Hwang’s injury.

In other news, Tim Spiers has hailed one ‘outstanding’ Wolves player against Everton. Read more here.

Twenty20 leagues in India such as the Indian Cricket League, which hosted its final on Sunday, could lure players away from international contracts, according to the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations © Getty Images

International players should be allowed to retire and take up lucrative contracts with Twenty20 leagues in India, according to Tim May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations. May said any move by national boards to stop such retirements, or to ban players who join Twenty20 leagues, could be a restraint of trade and might result in court action.”If a player wants to retire from international cricket because he’s had enough and wants to spend more time with his family and he can seek employment elsewhere, to allow him to spend more time with his family, then, like any other employee, he should be allowed to,” May told the .”We will resist that [banning players] with everything we have. That is an unreasonable restraint of trade, which will be up to the players and the courts to test.”But while May said there was the potential for competitions like the Indian Premier League and the Indian Cricket League to lure players away from their international contracts, national boards also have another potential problem. The IPL’s franchising system has raised questions over possible sponsorship clashes.It is feasible that a Cricket Australia-contracted player could sign with a team owned by a company that provides services in competition with Cricket Australia’s major sponsors, the Commonwealth Bank and Travelex. “That’s a hypothetical question,” James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive said.”The facts are that we deal with these situations day after day, with players playing county cricket or in other situations. Players will need to work around these situations to be released.”Justin Vaughan, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, said his board would have to revisit its payment structure to ensure non-IPL players are not easily enticed to a rebel Twenty20 outfit.”We’ll talk to the players’ association because they are very mindful of that situation and we certainly don’t want these players being lost to international cricket,” Vaughan told the . “But it’s great our players can make a lot of money playing cricket. That’s fantastic.”The initial IPL sign-on fees were announced last week, with Shane Warne receiving a US$400,000 deal, Glenn McGrath attracting US$350,000 and Justin Langer signing up for US$175,000. However, those figures are base fees for being part of the player pool and do not include the salaries they will be paid by whichever franchise they join.