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According to Spanish news outlet IDEAL (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are expected to lodge a bid to sign Granada defender Domingos Duarte as contact is initiated with the player.

The Lowdown: Spurs in defensive overhaul?

So far, Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici has overseen the arrivals of Pierluigi Gollini, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero in north London but only the latter man comes as a much-needed defensive addition.

Reports indicate that the Lilywhites wish to add another defender and provide manager Nuno Espirito Santo with some strength in depth.

The likes of Nikola Milenkovic (now staying at Fiorentina) and Takehiro Tomiyasu have been heavily linked to Spurs with news now emerging of another target.

The Latest: Spurs expected to make Duarte bid…

As per IDEAL, Tottenham are now expected to make an initial offer of around €10 million (£8.5m) for the 26-year-old and they have even made contact to sound out the player.

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Nuno is said to be personally behind this possible move as he knows Duarte well and is reportedly looking for alternative defensive signings so he can use a back three formation.

However, Spurs’ expected opening offer will only scratch the surface of his alleged €30m (£25.7m) release clause and Granada are likely to stick to that fee.

The Verdict: Move on…

Starting 27 games for the La Liga side last season, Duarte didn’t exactly blow on-lookers away with his numbers.

While a key player for Granada according to this report, averaging the third-most clearances per 90 out of their entire squad over 2020/2021, he doesn’t do much better than that.

Almost every Spurs defender managed a higher rate of successful tackles and aerial duels won last season with the 6 foot 4 powerhouse hardly being a standout statistically (WhoScored).

If Paratici has to pay a £25.7m clause, we believe he could aim slightly higher than Duarte as he seeks to bolster Nuno’s squad.

In other news: ‘Getting closer’…Spurs now advancing in talks to sign ‘machine of a player’, find out more here.

Outstanding financial issues between the Pakistan board and outgoing coach Geoff Lawson have been resolved

Cricinfo staff28-Oct-2008
Geoff Lawson’s final meeting with the Pakistan board was an amicable one © AFP
Outstanding financial issues between the Pakistan board and outgoing coach Geoff Lawson have been resolved after a meeting on Monday.Lawson had sent back a cheque the board had given him over the weekend, claiming the payment was far short of what was owed to him as per the terms of his contract, a claim which was correct.Lawson told Cricinfo the meeting with Salim Altaf, the PCB’s director-general, was “a cordial one” and that the issue was resolved “amicably”.”We had a good meeting,” Altaf told Cricinfo. “There had been a communication gap in the past but we have ended on good terms.”The amount outstanding to Lawson is thought to be in the region of US$30,000, a bonus payment for taking the side to the final of an ICC tournament (Pakistan reached the final of the World Twenty20 last year).Lawson spoke to reporters briefly after the meeting, his first such interaction with the media since he was sacked. “It has been a very enjoyable experience for me and I have learnt a lot being an international coach. If the board wants to have a local coach, good luck to them. I have no grievances with them. It was an honor for me to coach the Pakistan team.”While Lawson is planning on flying back to Australia, most likely on Saturday, the fitness trainer he brought with him to Pakistan is likely to stay on. David Dwyer, the Australian trainer, also met Altaf and was he asked by the board to stay. At the time of Lawson’s sacking it was believed that Dwyer would also go back with him, but he was convinced otherwise. “We allayed David’s fears about the situation,” Altaf said. “He is on board and staying on with us.”

Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips is still expected to leave Anfield in the summer transfer window, according to The Athletic’s James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Phillips down the pecking order

Phillips did an admirable job at an extremely difficult time last season – Jamie Redknapp hailed him as ‘unbelievable’ following his performance against Burnley in May – filling in when the Reds were without the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip through long-term injuries.

They are all fit again, however, and Ibrahima Konate has joined from RB Leipzig, so the 24-year-old is now arguably fifth-choice centre-back at Anfield.

Phillips has been linked with a summer exit, with West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen reportedly among those keen on signing him.

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The Latest: Pearce tips defender to leave

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic after Liverpool’s win at Norwich City on Saturday, Pearce gave his thoughts on Phillips’ Reds future.

He outlined: “Still no suitable offers on the table. I’m still expecting him to leave before the window shuts.”

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The Verdict: No Liverpool future

It is hard to see Phillips enjoying much playing time for Liverpool this season, unless another injury crisis occurs at the back.

While he did excellently in 2020/21, making 15 Premier League starts, he has his limitations and probably isn’t good enough to be a long-term squad player at Anfield. On the ball, he doesn’t have the quality and vision of Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip, and his lack of pace means that Liverpool can’t play with their usual high line.

Therefore, it would come as no surprise if the club accept an offer for him this month, particularly with Klopp’s centre-back options now nicely replenished.

In other news, Pearce has also provided an update on another aspect of Liverpool’s transfer business. Read more here.

Mohammad Yousuf, who is involved in arbitration proceedings with the ICL, faces a life ban if he joins the unofficial league, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said

Cricinfo staff19-Sep-2008
Mohammad Yousuf: “I just want to ask them [the selectors] ‘how many Jonty Rhodes are there in the Pakistan team?” © AFP
Mohammad Yousuf, who is involved in arbitration proceedings with the ICL, faces a life ban if he joins the unofficial league, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said.The , a Pakistan daily, quoted an unnamed PCB official as saying, “We have banned all our cricketers who joined the ICL and if Yousuf also plays for the unauthorised league then he will have to face the same punishment. Yousuf is still our best Test batsman and has a future with the Pakistan team, but not if he joins the ICL. It will be game over for him if he joined the rebel league.”Yousuf signed a contract with the ICL in the wake of his omission from Pakistan’s squad for the ICC World Twenty20 last year, but the PCB later convinced him to cancel his ICL contract and instead sign up for the IPL, a league approved by the national boards, as well as turn up for national duty.Subsequently the ICL had warned the various IPL franchises that they could face legal complications if they bought Yousuf in the player auctions. Yousuf was not bought by any of the IPL teams, but he was compensated by the league’s organisers, who gave him US$350,000 – his starting bid price.Pakistan’s selectors have continued to ignore Yousuf while picking Twenty20 teams, and he was left out of the provisional squad for the Canada Cup Four Nation 20/20 next month. “I just want to know what the selection procedure is,” Yousuf told the Urdu newspaper . “You go and ask great players like Wasim Akram and Inzamam-ul-Haq if I don’t deserve to play Twenty20 cricket. If they say I should be dropped then I will quit all cricket.”Yousuf felt his lack of agility on the field wasn’t enough reason for the selectors keep him out. “I just want to ask them ‘how many Jonty Rhodes are there in the Pakistan team?'” Yousuf will lead the Lahore Lions in Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 tournament but said he has nothing to prove. “It’s not a test case for me,” he said. “After representing Pakistan for 11 years, I just want to make it clear that I am not playing to prove my abilities to anyone.”

Deon Kruis, the fast bowler who left Yorkshire last week, has been offered a new contract with the same club after both parties resolved their differences

Cricinfo staff17-Oct-2008Deon Kruis, the fast bowler who left Yorkshire last week, has been offered a new contract with the same club after both parties resolved their differences.Last week, Kruis allegedly reported Yorkshire to the Professional Cricketers’ Association after the club withdrew their offer of a new contract. Stewart Regan, Yorkshire’s chief executive, had sent a text message to Kruis’s phone informing him of the decision, as the club were irritated about Kruis’s delay. It was, they claimed, hampering their chances of finding an alternative.Now, however, all is forgiven and the two parties have reached an amicable decision in the shape of a fresh one-year contract.”I have spent the last few nights worrying about where I would be playing my cricket in 2009,” Kruis said. “I know the club were keen to make a decision and I understand their position in that they felt I had taken too long to make my mind up. I have spoken to them about this and both Stewart Regan and Martyn Moxon have confirmed that they want me to be part of the squad at Yorkshire.”On that basis I hope I can put the events of the last week behind me and join the squad next March to hopefully help the club win some silverware. I feel I still have a lot to offer and I cannot wait to get stuck in once again”.Regan added: “We were disappointed last week with where we ended up so far as Deon Kruis is concerned. We had made it clear all along that we wanted him in our squad; however, it appeared that he was dragging his heels and giving us the impression that he wanted to join another club. It is now obvious that this is not the case and having heard him say that he does not want to play cricket for anyone else then that is good enough for us.”We are delighted to have him back next season. His performances at the end of the season just gone were outstanding and he has got a lot to offer us going forward”.

Kane Williamson led a fightback for New Zealand Under-19s as they built a 156-run lead against England in the second Test at Worcester

Cricinfo staff03-Aug-2008
Scorecard
Kane Williamson led a fightback for New Zealand Under-19s as they built a 156-run lead against England in the second Test at Worcester. Greg Smith had just enough time to bring up his 150 when he ran out of partners, but not before England had taken a first-innings advantage of 30 in reaching 402, with Ben Brown making 49.New Zealand’s second innings got off to a shaky start as Ian Saxelby dismissed both openers to have them 38 for 2 and three runs later Stuart Meaker claimed another wicket, Fraser Colton for a duck. Meaker struck again soon after with the wicket of Craig Chapoca and they were in trouble at 65 for 4.But Williamson stood firm, reaching 108 by the close from 113 balls, and he was supported by Harry Boam who brought up his half-century just before the end of play. New Zealand will have to play aggressive cricket on the final day if they want to level the series after losing the opening Test at Taunton.

Hamza Choudhury is keen to join Newcastle United on loan in pursuit of game-time, according to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson. 

The lowdown

Newcastle had hoped to agree a temporary deal for Choudhury in January, only for Brendan Rodgers to stand in the way, and the 23-year-old remains on the Magpies’ shortlist.

He was limited to just four Premier League starts last season, making a further six appearances off the bench (via WhoScored).

Rodgers has hailed Choudhury as ‘one of the best’ at winning the ball back and also described him as a ‘tough’ individual.

The latest

According to Wilson on Twitter, Choudhury is ‘ready to push’ for the move ‘to ensure he plays next season’ and has told his representatives to take the necessary steps.

Newcastle are aware of this development and are prepared to open talks with Leicester, but only once ‘they know where they stand’ with Joe Willock.

As Wilson explains, only two domestic loans are allowed at any one time, and Newcastle are looking to strike a season-long deal with Arsenal. If they’re successful, they would need to decide whether to use their second domestic loan slot on another midfielder.

The verdict

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are hesitant. Steve Bruce is working within what’s been called a ‘meagre’ transfer budget this summer, so loans will be key to strengthening the squad and staving off the threat of relegation.

Willock has to be to the top target, having proven his value to the Magpies following a hugely successful loan spell earlier this year. That move would halve Newcastle’s domestic loan quota, but they shouldn’t necessarily shy away from Choudhury simply because he too is a midfielder.

Where Willock offers a box-to-box presence and a goalscoring threat, Choudhury is a different kind of player. He is more destructive and excels at protecting a defence, so he could complement the Arsenal man’s skillset nicely if both players end up at St James’ Park for the 2021/22 campaign.

In other news, Mark Douglas says Newcastle have been offered this player.

Sohail Tanvir says one-dayers and Twenty20 are meant to entertain crowds

Cricinfo staff31-Jul-2008
Sohail Tanvir: “I am comfortable in all forms of the game, but it is Test cricket that I would love to prove myself now” © AFP
Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir was the Indian Premier League’s (IPL’s) most successful bowler but he has said that it is in the Test arena that he really wants to prove himself.”If you are ranked as a player, it is solely based on your performance in Tests,” Tanvir told . “The one-day and Twenty20 versions are meant to entertain the crowds who come to watch sixes, boundaries, catches and wickets. I am comfortable in all forms of the game, but it is Test cricket that I would love to prove myself now.”Tanvir has played only two Tests so far in his career, making his debut on Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007-08. He had tremendous success with the Rajasthan Royals, who bought him for $100,000, during the IPL. He took 22 wickets in 11 games at an average of 12.09 and economy-rate of 6.46 and held his nerve during the IPL final against Chennai Superkings to score the winning runs off the final ball.”I know I am worth much more,” he said. “And based on my performances, I think I can easily get a million dollars, if not more. I have two or three very lucrative offers from other IPL franchises, but there is time for me to make a decision for next year.”

Sides from Italy are keen on signing Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi this summer, according to Gregg Evans of The Athletic.

The Lowdown: El Ghazi’s Villa career

El Ghazi made the move to the Midlands on loan back in 2018. He helped Villa earn promotion to the Premier League and was signed permanently from Lille in a deal worth £8.1m the following summer.

The 26-year-old, on £38,000-a-week, has made over 100 appearances for Villa in all competitions, with 62 of those coming in the Premier League.

He netted 10 times in 28 top-flight appearances last season, four of which came in Villa’s last seven league games.

The Latest: Evans’ claim

Evans shared a Villa mailbag on Thursday, answering numerous questions from supporters on a number of topics.

He was asked if any permanent departures were expected at Villa Park, aside from Jack Grealish, who has been linked with a move to Manchester City.

Evans said that Conor Hourihane is the most likely to leave but revealed that a few clubs from Italy are keen on El Ghazi.

El Ghazi, described as ‘remarkable’ by pundit Adrian Clarke, has two years remaining on his Villa deal, and Evans admitted he would be surprised to see the Dutch winger leave.

The Verdict: Keep

Although Villa have already bolstered their wide ranks with the club-record signing of Emiliano Buendia this summer, it would make sense to keep El Ghazi ahead of the new season, unless a big-money bid that proves too hard to turn down comes in.

He was Villa’s second-highest scorer last season and now appears to have adjusted to Premier League football following a tricky first season.

Trezeguet is also out with a serious injury, so El Ghazi, Buendia, Jack Grealish, Ashley Young and Bertrand Traore are currently Dean Smith’s wide options at this moment in time.

In other news: ‘I beg we sack Smith’ – Many Aston Villa fans react as plans for £50k-p/w ace emerge.

Canterbury’s team for their next State Championship match, against Wellington, starting at Rangiora’s Dudley Park on Tuesday was named today

Lynn McConnell08-Dec-2002Canterbury’s team for their next State Championship match, against Wellington, starting at Rangiora’s Dudley Park on Tuesday was named today.With the selection of Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan and Shane Bond in the TelstraClear Black Caps for the first National Bank Series Test match starting in Wellington on Thursday, changes have been forced.Chris Cairns, who has played the first two matches in the Championship, is also not available as the result of keyhole surgery he is having on Tuesday. Wade Cornelius is still not fit enough to be considered.The side is: Gary Stead (captain), Brendon Donkers, Andrew Ellis, Robbie Frew, Peter Fulton, Chris Harris, Gareth Hopkins, Chris Martin, Michael Papps, Shanan Stewart, Paul Wiseman, Warren Wisneski.