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Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a late move to bolster Nuno Santo’s engine room, according to reports..

What’s the word?

The Sunday Mirror (29th August, page 66) claims Spurs are looking into whether they can complete a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion star Yves Bissouma before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

It’s thought that Moussa Sissoko’s exit to fellow north Londoners Watford has freed up space in the squad for another midfielder and that the 24-year-old Malian is seen as the ideal replacement.

The Seagulls are said to value the Graham Potter regular in the region of £40m, so it’s now on the Lilywhites to make their move.

Shades of Dembele

Replacing the veteran Frenchman with Bissouma would certainly be a shrewd move from sporting director Fabio Paratici and co, particularly as he’s an obvious upgrade in both the age and ability department.

The 6-foot powerhouse is an ideal box-to-box option to play alongside the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Dele Alli, who have all started every league game under Nuno this campaign.

Bissouma’s playing style has been modelled by the influence of Premier League legend Yaya Toure and he can mix his physicality – averaging 2.8 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in 2020/21, with a deft touch on the ball – averaging 1.5 dribbles and a 87.4% passing accuracy rate, via WhoScored.

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These are the sorts of numbers that may bring some Spurs fans to think about Mousa Dembele, who in his prime would surely love to play alongside the Lilywhites’ great Dane.

For example, one of the Belgian’s best campaigns (2015/16) saw him put up 3.6 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 2.9 dribbles per league outing. Bissouma isn’t far off these returns, when playing in a poorer side, too.

Through the first three league games of the season, the Seagulls sensation is matching such an output, averaging 3.3 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and two dribbles, as per WhoScored.

Dembele joined Spurs from Fulham, so there would be further similarities if Paratici can strike a deal for Bissouma before time runs out.

As described by his former Brighton boss Chris Hughton, the Mali international is a “wonderful talent” and is one that would surely thrive under the Portuguese head coach.

After going unbeaten through their first three Premier League matches, the north London outfit could cap off a perfect summer by signing Bissouma. They could well unearth their next Dembele in doing so.

AND in other news, Fabio Paratici dealt Spurs transfer blow over £22.5m-rated midfield target…

أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، رقم قميص مُهاجمه النرويجي، إيرلينج هالاند، والذي سيلعب به مع النادي السماوي.

وكان هالاند قد انضم إلى مانشستر سيتي في صيف العام الجاري، قادمًا من بوروسيا دورتموند بعد عامين مع النادي الألماني.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تشيلسي يستعد لتجديد عقد لاعبه بعد اهتمام مانشستر سيتي وريال مدريد

مانشستر سيتي عبر حسابه الرسمي بموقع التواصل الاجتماعي “تويتر”، نشر مقطع فيديو لمُهاجمه النرويجي، وهو يختار القميص رقم 9، وقال النرويجي: “أراكم قريبًا”.

See you soon! 💙 pic.twitter.com/Q4X1zdEnW2 — Manchester City (@ManCity) July 9, 2022

وارتدى هالاند نفس الرقم مع فريق بوروسيا دورتموند السابق وورث القميص من جابرييل جيسوس الذي غادر مؤخرًا وانضم إلى آرسنال.

وأعلن مانشستر سيتي أن قميص هالاند بات متاحًا في المتجر الرسمي للنادي مقابل 110 دولار أمريكي أي ما يُعادل (2000 جنيه مصري).

Hashan Tillakaratne, the former captain, has said Sri Lankan cricket is going though “the dark ages” and that an elected body is the way forward

Sa'adi Thawfeeq30-Nov-2008
Hashan Tillakaratne: “Today the cricket committees are corrupt” © Hong Kong Cricket Association
Hashan Tillakaratne, the former captain, has said that Sri Lankan cricket is currently going through “the dark ages” and that an elected body is the way forward.”Under Arjuna Ranatunga the interim committee is divided,” Tillakaratne said. “The most popular sport in this country is cricket. Arjuna is not allowed to do the work he wants to do by other interim committee members. Normally when an interim committee is appointed the previous members are dissolved and a new committee is appointed. The decisions taken by Arjuna are not approved by the Sports Minister [and] as a result of this the development of cricket is not taking place. Because of their differences all cricket development has come to a standstill. After so many years I see Sri Lanka cricket at present going through the dark ages.”Tillakaratne, 41, felt cricket in Sri Lanka was not progressing because interim committees were allowed to run for longer periods than elected bodies. “Since 1999 it has become a habit that whenever there is a TV deal around the corner the elected body is dissolved and an interim committee is appointed. Even in the past and even today this has been the practice,” he said. “Don’t be surprised if elections are held the moment a new TV deal is struck by the present interim committee.”If someone comes up with an action plan for SLC he is not allowed to implement it because someone else comes and puts a spoke in the wheel. Elected bodies run for only six months but interim bodies carry on for more than three years.”Tillakaratne also said politics played a role in stemming the chances of players from villages and smaller localities. Constant political interference, he believed, led to a breakdown in development.”The meaning of interim is for a short time,” he said. “For so many years cricket administration has been run by interim committees where development cannot take place. You can make money and waste money and you are not answerable to anyone. Appointing interim committees should be for a short time maybe to clear a problem that has come up. But elections should be held immediately and elected bodies should run cricket.”As a result of a breakdown in the development of cricket in the outstations, Tillakaratne said clubs do not receive funds, thereby leading to the stagnation of provincial cricket. “Our cricket is going backwards. Look at India and how they have developed youngsters. [Sachin] Tendulkar, [Rahul] Dravid, [VVS] Laxman and [Sourav] Ganguly are under constant pressure from the youngsters because of their development. Where is Sri Lanka today in comparison? Our international calendar is empty. We are trying to win the 2011 World Cup but how can we develop new cricketers playing against weak teams like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh? The only way to solve this problem is to go for elections.”Tillakaratne, who also works with Cricket Aid, the SLC’s tsunami-relief programmes, said cricket committees were “corrupt”. “I am a member of the present cricket committee. The appointment of former captains to the committee makes it difficult for me to do any work inside it. There are a lot of problems with cricket. For these problems we don’t get a proper answer. I don’t think my services are required. Arjuna is saying one thing and Gamini Lokuge [Sri Lanka’s sports minister] is saying another. This problem has to be solved first before we can take any decisions with regard to cricket.”In July, Tillakarante was removed as Sri Lanka’s team manager for the India series after just two days into the job.

After picking up one point from a possible six from their opening two Premier League games of the new campaign, Crystal Palace head to Vicarage Road this evening to take on Watford in the Carabao Cup.

The Eagles were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Brentford last time out, a performance which offered a marked improvement on their opening-day defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

However, Patrick Vieira’s men have failed to score in their 180 minutes of top-flight action so far this season, something that will be a great concern for the new manager.

Vieira has openly admitted he’s looking to bolster his options in the final third of the pitch following the departures of Andros Townsend and Michy Batshuayi this summer, leading to several stars being linked with a move to the capital club.

But part of the solution could already be within south London. French striker Jean-Philippe Mateta arrived at Palace last January from Bundesliga outfit Mainz with a sizeable reputation following his impressive exploits at the MEWA Arena.

He bagged 27 goals and provided five assists in 71 appearances for Die Nullfünfer, earning several plaudits in the process.

“For a player with such impressive athletic potential, Jean-Philippe has a rare ability to get in behind opposition defences and beat players one-on-one,” summarised France U21 coach Sylvain Ripoll (as relayed by Bundesliga.com), who called Mateta up for the first time in October 2018. “And there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”

The 24-year-old struggled to break into the starting XI under former Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, though, scoring just one goal in his seven outings during the final months of the experienced tactician’s reign.

Mateta would have been hoping for a fresh start under Vieira then, and his compatriot selected him in his first competitive starting lineup at Stamford Bridge just over a week ago.

Nevertheless, Mateta lasted just 57 minutes before being substituted and failed to come off the bench against Brentford, despite Palace struggling to create chances as they went in search of a winning goal.

Therefore, Vieira must unleash the £11.7m-rated gem in this evening’s cup encounter. Away from the spotlight of the Premier League, the pacey frontman could thrive and showcase his potential to be the striker Palace have craved over the last few years.

Adding a proven goalscorer to the club’s ranks is a priority for Vieira, but if he entrusts Mateta tonight, then he may discover one already at his disposal and if the striker can grab a goal, it will do his confidence the world of good.

And, in other news…David Ornstein drops exciting Palace transfer update that’ll leave fans delighted

Liverpool, and by extension their transfer chief Michael Edwards, have been hailed as a ‘very savvy’ by a football agent after loaning Ben Davies to Sheffield United, The Athletic’s Simon Hughes writes.

The lowdown

Liverpool brought Davies to Anfield from Preston North End in January in the midst of an injury crisis. Three centre-backs – Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip had all been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

But the Englishman wouldn’t set foot on the pitch for the Reds, with Jurgen Klopp preferring Nathaniel Phillips, Rhys Williams and loanee Ozan Kabak. Davies was only included in the matchday squad on eight occasions.

He did at least feature for the Reds in pre-season, lining up alongside Joel Matip in a mini-game against Austrian outfit FC Wacker Innsbruck.

Having sealed his season-long loan move to Bramall Lane on Monday, he’ll look to help the Blades regain their place in the Premier League.

The latest

Hughes says Liverpool have been left ‘delighted’ with their business after securing a £500,000 loan fee from Sheffield United, recouping their initial outlay on Davies and winning external admiration. He adds that they’ll be entitled to a further £500,000 if Slavisa Jokanovic’s side win promotion.

What’s more, it’s understood that his temporary employers are covering the entirety of his wages, which lie somewhere between £25,000 and £40,000 per week.

Liverpool are confident that they’ll be able to turn a significant profit on Davies eventually. Indeed, they chose not to insert an obligation to buy into their loan agreement at this stage because they believe he can still increase his value.

The verdict

In a way, you feel for Davies. Joining the club of Liverpool’s stature when they were so depleted, he might have sensed a career-defining opportunity. Instead, it looks as if he was brought in solely to make up the numbers, and he’s been viewed as more of a commodity than a viable squad option.

He may never made an official debut for the Reds, but a left-footed English centre-back in his mid-20s, who’s still on a long contract, should definitely fetch a healthy fee.

If he thrives on loan – and perhaps even leads the Blades to promotion – this could turn out to be one of Edwards’ savviest moves yet from a solely business perspective.

In other news, a Ligue 1 expert has given his verdict on the Renato Sanches links.

Scotland will travel to Bermuda and Canada next month without several front-line players who are being rested for other matches later in the summer

Cricinfo staff25-Jun-2008Scotland will travel to Bermuda and Canada next month without several front-line players who are being rested for other matches later in the summer.Scotland captain Ryan Watson, along with Gavin Hamilton, Craig Wright, Glenn Rogers and John Blain, have not been included in the 13-man squad which will play Intercontinental Cup matches in Bermuda (July 10-13) and Canada (July 16-19).But, after discussions with the selectors, they will leave behind a group of experienced players who are being ‘rested’ in preparation for other major matches later in July and August.”Although Scotland cannot now hope to win the Cup itself, we will certainly take these matches seriously, and the players know that they represent an excellent platform for their talents,” Peter Steindl, Scotland’s coach, said. “For our own ranking in the global game, we aim to win both matches.”Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, added: “It is vital that we build strength in depth among our international squads – particularly with next year’s World Cup qualifying tournament in mind.”Scotland squad Fraser Watts (capt), Richie Berrington, Dewald Nel, Sean Weeraratna, Gordon Drummond, Gordon Goudie, Dougie Lockhart, Majid Haq, Ross Lyons, Qasim Sheikh, Neil McCallum, Gregor Maiden, Colin Smith (wkt).

An update has emerged on Everton target Rafael Leao, regarding how much AC Milan want for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, Milan are willing to listen to offers in the region of £26m (€30m) for Everton transfer target Rafael Leao this summer.

The report claims Mino Raiola is attempting to get him a move to the Premier League.

Richarlison 2.0

Marcel Brands and Rafa Benitez must work together to seal a deal for Leao this summer as he could be Richarlison 2.0 for the Toffees. The Milan forward is a quality young attacker who could come in and provide an extra option at the top end of the pitch to challenge the Brazilian and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Goalscoring was a big issue for the Blues last season, with Calvert-Lewin the only player who managed more than seven Premier League strikes. Richarlison and James Rodriguez provided seven and six respectively, with no other forwards managing more than one goal.

Therefore, Everton are in desperate need of an extra goalscorer to come in this summer. That is where Leao could be the perfect addition as he scored seven goals and provided six assists in just 24 starts.

This suggests that he could get near double figures for goals and assists if he is given more starts in the league by the Toffees than Milan were able to offer him.

Former striker Rolando Bianchi once lauded him as spectacular. The ex-forward also previously said that Leao was playing like a great player. He said:

“Leao is very young and is having a great season. Sometimes young people give the impression of mirroring themselves a bit, but his performances are that of a great player. I had seen him at the U20 World Cup with Portugal and he made spectacular plays. He has great speed, he has a touch of the ball.”

Richarlison is also a young talent, but the comparisons between the two do not end there. They are also both right-footed attackers who can play out on the left-wing or through the middle as centre-forwards. Both players are keen dribblers, as they like to run at players with the ball to create chances and score goals.

Therefore, Everton could land their next Richarlison by bringing Leao to the club for £26m. At the age of 22, he also has plenty of room for development and could improve over time, which means that he is a player Benitez could work with on the training pitch to continue his growth.

AND in other news, Everton must act swiftly to land dream deal for powerhouse who “towers above” players…

Sheffield United are reportedly interested in a deal to sign QPR goalkeeper Seny Dieng, according to The Sun (8th August, page 67). 

What’s the story?

Sheffield United have already been faced with considerable interest from Arsenal for goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who has recently returned to the first-team squad having been away from England on international duty over the summer.

Ramsdale has been with the club since 2020, although it’s claimed that he could be heading for the Bramall Lane exit door in the near future, with the transfer window set to close on August 31st.

Therefore, the Blades are seemingly preparing for his departure by targeting a move for Dieng, who has two years remaining on his current contract with Mark Warburton’s QPR side.

He has made 44 appearances in total for the Rs in total, which includes 43 from the 2020/21 season, as QPR finished ninth in the Championship table.

The Sun report that Dieng could be on the move this summer for a fee in the region of £6million, with the Blades eyeing a move for the 26-year-old.

Dieng has been with QPR since 2016, and kept 11 clean sheets with them last season, as they finished last year’s campaign strongly under the watchful eye of Warburton.

The shot-stopper has previously been attracting interest from West Ham United, and you don’t do that by chance, so that speaks volumes about his ability at this moment in time and the exciting potential he has.

Dieng has shown that he’s more than capable of performing to high standard in the Championship, with the shot-stopper adjusting well to the demands of life in the second-tier, which can sometimes be an unforgiving league.

He had an average Whoscored rating of 6.71 from the 2020/21 season for QPR and he could turn out to be a smart signing by Sheffield United this summer.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s side will be looking to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, having been relegated from the top-flight last term, in what was a disappointing campaign for the Bramall Lane faithful to witness.

The Blades haven’t been very active in the summer transfer window, but Ramsdale’s potential departure late into this summer could prompt some late movement, which is certainly needed.

Sheffield United were beaten by Birmingham City in their opener this term, and Jokanovic will be keen to see a positive response from his side in midweek when they return to action against Carlisle United in the EFL Cup.

Dieng made an error against Norwich City last term, but Warburton labelled the shot-stopper as ‘outstanding’ for his performances during last year’s campaign.

“He’s human. There’s no-one in the world [who doesn’t make mistakes]. [Lionel] Messi makes mistakes, [Cristiano] Ronaldo makes mistakes, the very, very best people in the world make mistakes.

“Seny’s had an outstanding season, he’s just human. It’s as simple as that.”

Dieng would be a smart signing by the Blades if they can get a deal over the line to secure his signature, as he’s shown that he’s capable of performing to a more than good enough standard at this level, and it’s a deal that the Bramall Lane faithful should be buzzing about.

AND in other news; Sheffield United also want to sign this in-demand star before the window closes…

Queens Park Rangers have confirmed that Liam Kelly has left the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium on a permanent basis.

What’s the latest?

In a short statement posted on the QPR website, the club confirmed that the 25-year-old goalkeeper has joined Graham Alexander’s Motherwell side on a permanent basis, following his loan spell at the Scottish club at the back end of last season.

The shot-stopper had looked set to join the Scottish Premiership side for a number of months, with Alexander revealing back in May that he and his side were in talks with the Championship club regarding the transfer of the Scot.

And, following the completion of the deal, QPR thanked the former Scotland U21 international for his service to the club, before wishing him well for the future.

Warburton will be buzzing

Having joined QPR from Livingston back in the summer of 2019, it would appear a fair statement to make that Kelly did not quite live up to expectations during his time south of the border.

Indeed, in his first season at the club, the 25-year-old featured in 19 Championship games for Mark Warburton’s side, keeping three clean sheets and conceding 29 goals, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.79.

These appearances would turn out to be the only league games the £360k-rated ‘keeper would feature in for QPR, with Kelly falling behind both Joe Lumley and Seny Dieng last term, before being loaned out to Motherwell in January.

And, considering the fact that the man Alexander dubbed a “fantastic” shot-stopper was earning a hefty £7k-per-week in west London, as well as giving a rather frank interview regarding his desire to leave the club earlier this summer, the fact that Warburton has been able to secure the ‘keeper a move away from the Rs is sure to have left the 58-year-old buzzing as he looks to build a squad capable of pushing for promotion next season.

In other news: QPR make approach for “excellent” £4.1k-p/w beast, Warburton will be buzzing

Reliable reporter John Percy has had his say on Aston Villa’s links to Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey.

The Lowdown: Bailey links

Villa’s interest in Bailey emerged on Wednesday, with reports suggesting the club were eyeing up a £30m swoop for the wide man.

The 23-year-old is viewed as an attainable target by Villa and are thought to be readying an approach to the Bundesliga side.

Bailey, who scored 15 goals and registered 11 assists last season, has just under two years left on his Leverkusen deal.

The Latest: Percy’s post

Percy, who writes for The Telegraph, responded to a Villa supporter on Wednesday evening suggesting Bailey fits the criteria for Villa in terms of position and price, however, he didn’t feel a move is imminent.

Another Villa fan then quoted his tweet, sharing his disappointment, with Percy replying to the supporter in question, saying:

“Never said he wasn’t on the list mate”

Percy, who has over 120,000 followers, can get hundreds of retweets and thousands of likes on his transfer posts, but as this was a reply to a fan, it seemed to go under the radar with just two retweets.

The Verdict: Sign

Bailey could well be on Villa’s shopping list, according to Percy, and a move for the Jamaican could turn out to be an excellent piece of business.

He’s capable of playing on either flank or as a centre-forward, with his main position coming on the right.

Should he move to the Midlands, Dean Smith may well then decide to use Jack Grealish in a central role, if he stays at Villa Park of course.

A front four of Bailey, Grealish, Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins looks dangerous on paper, but a lot could happen between now and Villa’s opener against Watford on August 14.

In other news: Everton ace keen on Villa move, find out more here.