West Bromwich Albion return to action in the Championship after the first international break of the season as they travel away to face Bristol City this afternoon.
What was West Brom's last result?
The Baggies head into the match today off the back of a disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to Huddersfield at The Hawthorns at the start of this month.
Jack Rudoni scored a 96th-minute winner for the away side, after John Swift had equalised for Carlos Corberan's men, to secure all three points for Neil Warnock.
West Brom are currently sat 11th in the Championship table with two wins, one draw, and two defeats in their first five matches of the campaign, and now have a chance to move up the division with a win against the Robins.
Will Grady Diangana start against Bristol City?
In order to improve the club's chances of coming away with all three points today, Corberan should ruthlessly ditch Matt Phillips in favour of Grady Diangana out wide.
The former Blackpool star lined up on the left flank against Huddersfield before the international break and produced a disappointing performance, which could open the door for the ex-West Ham man to come in.
West Brom winger Grady Diangana.
Diangana is a skilful forward who could split open the opposition's defence and provide a moment of brilliance that could win West Brom the game. Journalist Graeme Brown once claimed that he was the only player within the squad who has the "potential for magic" at the top end of the pitch.
The £25k-per-week wizard has only played 13 minutes of Championship football, which came off the bench against the Terriers, but showed signs of promise with four goals and six 'big chances' created in 21 league starts last season.
Phillips, on the other hand, scored two goals and created three 'big chances' for his teammates in 25 second division outings during the 2022/23 campaign.
The 32-year-old has scored once and created zero 'big chances' in five Championship starts so far this season and struggled against Huddersfield.
As per Sofascore, Phillips created one chance and completed one dribble in 90 minutes of action at The Hawthorns, whilst he also failed to produce any shots on target.
West Brom winger Grady Diangana.
Whereas, Diangana created a 'big chance' and completed one dribble in just 13 minutes off the bench for the Baggies, as per Sofascore, which suggests that he had a greater impact in far fewer minutes.
The former England U21 international, who produced eight goals and six assists in 23 league starts throughout the 2019/20 campaign, appears to be more likely than Phillips to make something happen at the top end of the pitch.
When you compare their respective form since the start of last season at Championship level, Diangana stands out as the best option for Corberan on the flank in regards to offering a threat as a scorer or creator in the final third against the Robins this afternoon.
Therefore, the former Leeds United assistant must ruthlessly drop Phillips for the first time this term and finally unleash the ex-West Ham starlet from the start to allow him to showcase his talent.
Leeds United exploded into life late on in the window, as they scrambled to put together a side capable of catapulting them up the table…
Who did Leeds United sign?
The Whites spent a strange summer putting business together, with Daniel Farke likely enduring a far tougher process than he expected when he first took over the recently relegated club.
Overseeing the departure of various first-team stars due to the arrogance of the previous regime, he was forced to work within their new financial restraints whilst also finding enough quality to sustain a push for promotion.
Given the quality he eventually welcomed, the German managed an admirable job.
However, reports from Wednesday suggested that things could have got even better, with journalist Tom Collomosse taking to Twitter to issue an update on their pursuit of then Leicester City left-back Luke Thomas.
Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…
Despite tabling a bid, it was Sheffield United who won the race, with the Foxes reason for snubbing Leeds outlined by Ben Jacobs: "Leeds also tried, but Leicester didn't want to send Thomas to a Championship rival."
How good is Luke Thomas?
Although he perhaps would have been an unassuming signing, especially given the excitement that Djed Spence's arrival brought on the opposite flank, the 22-year-old defender may well have actually proven to be one of their most important acquisitions given the solidity his presence would have immediately offered.
Not only would it have allowed the on-loan Tottenham Hotspur ace to shine, with his patented dynamism down the right, but the winger ahead of him could have soared to new heights given the freedom Thomas provides.
Therefore, to sign the young Foxes ace would have helped the new manager to truly unleash Luis Sinisterra on the Championship, had he not agreed to a late loan move on transfer deadline day to Bournemouth.
luke-thomas-1
After all, whilst the Colombian has struggled with injuries after joining last summer, when fit he has remained a constant threat, able to both terrorise defenders with his quick feet, as well as find the net with relative regularity.
Before making his move to Elland Road, he had recorded 37 goal contributions across all competitions in the Netherlands, failing to translate that form into England.
Although, seven goals and one assist across 22 appearances for a side that would eventually fall to the drop did mark an admirable return, it is one that is set to be comfortably surpassed this season.
With one goal in just two league matches already this season, his 7.40 average rating across those fixtures bode well for the remainder of the year before joining the Cherries. This is a figure buoyed by his unrelenting creativity, as alongside his 91% pass accuracy he is also maintaining 2.5 successful dribbles, two key passes and five ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.
What was most exciting about Thomas' potential move was that the latter figure would have been able to decrease massively in order to boost the other offensive numbers. He would have offered the 24-year-old speedster immense freedom to focus solely on attacking, with his performances in the 2021/22 season supporting such a notion.
With a solid 6.75 average rating, the £10k-per-week gem recorded 1.8 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore. For comparison, only three Leeds defenders recorded more tackles per game in the Premier League last term, showcasing his solidity.
It was therefore no surprise to see him lauded by manager Brendan Rodgers, who claimed: "He defends, so aggressive and tenacious and he can pass the ball which is important for someone who plays me for me. Teammate Johnny Evans would agree: "I thought he was outstanding. Everything he did was immaculate."
Should Leicester have sanctioned him to continue his development in Yorkshire, allowing his defensive intelligence to expand, the left-back could have provided the perfect foundation to allow Sinisterra to terrorise this division, propelling them back to where they would feel they belong.
The 50-over format has become England’s calling card while New Zealand have a strong record at home but a slow pitch in Hamilton may challenge aggressive batting
Preview by Andrew McGlashan24-Feb-2018Big PictureNeither of these teams hit their straps during the T20 tri-series, clinching a win apiece, with New Zealand edging into the final then underwhelming with the bat. But this series is a meeting between two confident 50-over outfits. England have had a week to dust themselves down from the T20 setbacks – which has included a couple of days off – and readjust their sights back to the format which is becoming their calling card, while New Zealand have eight victories on the bounce this season.Whenever these sides meet the conversation quickly turns to England’s humiliation at the 2015 World Cup – particularly the shredding in Wellington – and the conversation that ensued between Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum, which persuaded the England captain there was only one way to go in 50-over cricket. There was no saving that tournament, but since then England have blazed a trail. It’s a narrative that is likely to be revisited over the next couple of weeks.Thoughts are now turning towards the next World Cup, starting in 15 months in England. There is still time for some tinkering if it’s required, but teams will want to start having a firm idea of the 15 they will use at the tournament. Both teams are probably not far from that position already.There is one notable addition to the England squad from last month with the return of Ben Stokes. Away from the debate about whether he should be on the tour or not, who makes way for his return will be one of the intriguing aspects of the series.West Indies and Pakistan were disappointing opposition earlier in New Zealand’s season, while Australia hit a post-Ashes wall (and picked the wrong side) against England last month. This series promises a more compelling tussle.Ben Stokes bowls in the nets•Getty ImagesForm guide(last five completed matches, most recent first) New Zealand WWWWW England WLWWWIn the spotlightApart from Ben Stokes, okay? Jason Roy started the one-day series in Australia with a bang, his 180 in Melbourne setting a new record for England, but since then his top score has been 49 including three single-figure scores in the T20 tri-series. Yes, mixing formats when looking at statistics is not really the done thing, but it’s all a little hit-or-miss for Roy at the moment. He appears safe despite Stokes’ return and the top-order rejig required, but a significant score early in the series wouldn’t go amiss.This is an important series for Tom Latham who has yet to nail down the wicketkeeper-batsman role, a position New Zealand are struggling to fill in both white-ball formats since the retirement of Luke Ronchi. This season his top score is 37 in seven ODI innings – off the back of a very productive series in India – but he has been given the backing of selector Gavin Larsen (his wicketkeeping has been tidy) and this New Zealand set-up likes to give players an extended run. Still, they won’t want uncertainty over a key position leading into the World Cup.Team newsQuick bowler Lockie Ferguson has been released from the squad to play in Saturday’s Ford Trophy final for Auckland. Mitchell Santner (knee) and Todd Astle (side) have carried recent injuries with Astle’s still providing the more pressing concern. If he isn’t fit then Ish Sodhi would slot into the side.New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Todd Astle, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultBarring a late reaction to his workload, Stokes will return. That means a batsman making way, as England revert to six main bowlers, with Alex Hales seemingly the most vulnerable. Tom Curran and David Willey are likely to contest the final pace-bowling slot with Craig Overton having to wait for his chance.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 Mark WoodPitch and conditionsIt will be a used surface and is expected to get slower as the match progresses. Seddon Park is a venue where spin can come to the fore, although that can be countered by evening dew making the toss a tricky decision. Last year, Martin Guptill plundered 180 off 138 balls to chase down 280 against South Africa with five overs to spare. The forecast for the afternoon and evening is good.Stats and trivia England have won eight of their last nine bilateral ODI series Ross Taylor needs 37 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs; Kane Williamson needs 23 to reach 5000 – if he does it in this match the New Zealand captain will be joint fourth-fastest to 5000 runs equal with Brian Lara England have lost both their ODIs at this venue: a 10-wicket trouncing in 2008 and a much tighter three-wicket loss in 2013.Quotes”They went a long stretch of winning one-day international cricket so they are a strong side particularly at home and we are going to have reproduce similar performances or better than we produced in Australia to win the series.” “I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing. The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge in England.”
South Africa had to win Saturday’s game to keep the series alive, and they did so in emphatic style, hitting Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for 119 runs in 11.3 overs
The Report by Alagappan Muthu10-Feb-2018 Scorecard and ball-by- ball detailsIt was thrill-a-minute at the Bull Ring, testing the mettle of both teams and the nerves of packed crowd. For the longest time, India were dominant, Shikhar Dhawan’s 109 leading the way. Then lightning struck, literally, to stop play and allow South Africa some time to regroup. Led by a miserly Kagiso Rabada, they conceded only 92 runs in the last 16 overs and earned themselves a target of 290. That was top work considering the Wanderers rarely entertains ODI chases of less than 300.South Africa handed over-rate fine
South Africa were ruled to have missed their over-rate target by one over in Johannesburg, after allowing for various delays. Match referee Andy Pycroft subsequently – in accordance with the ICC’s rules – fined captain Aiden Markram 20% of his match fee, and the rest of the team 10% each. If South Africa pick up another over-rate offence under Markram in an ODI over the next 12 months, Markram will face a suspension.
And there would be more. Rain reduced the game to 28 overs and South Africa were told they needed 202 to keep the series alive. It was under this pressure – with their two best batsmen already dismissed – that they played shots that were absolutely jaw dropping and won moments that were nothing short of match-changing. At the centre of it all was a newbie.Heinrich Klaasen, the stand-in wicketkeeper, took a ball of wristspin – you know, the thing that’s made South Africa spontaneously combust in this series – from outside the cut strip and pulled it for a one-bounce four to square leg. He then launched a free hit delivery so far into the night sky that it came down with a bit of star dust. An unbeaten 43 off 27 in a highest of pressure scenarios to seal victory is a grand return. “Best feeling in my career,” the 26-year old gushed at the presentation.David Miller, at the other end, was equally destructive. He even one-upped his partner, sending a six so far into the crowd that the ball had to be changed. Clearly, he hasn’t taken too well to India making him look like a walking wicket. Ironically, it was he was bowled neck and crop by Yuzvendra Chahal, off a no-ball, that he unfurled his full and devastating power. By the end of the night, India’s wristspinners nursed figures that read 6-0-51-2 and 5.3-0-68-1.Heinrich Klaasen struck some lusty blows•AFPIndia would feel rather hard done by considering the weather in Johannesburg played a part in spoiling their batting effort in the middle overs and returned later in the day to give South Africa the kind of clarity that they did not seem capable of when playing Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav earlier in the series. It was hit out or get out and with almost nothing to lose, Klaasen and Miller indulged in batting that was very near maniacal. Andile Phehlukwayo was worse. He faced five balls, and walked back with 23 runs, including the winning hit.Those cameos put the highest scorer of the day wondering what if. Bowlers cramping Dhawan for room is normal in any form of cricket. His abandoning that trademark, off-side dominant game and still managing to be a threat? Not so much. A century on his 100th ODI needs no added frills, not after it came with the addendum that he was the first Indian to do so, but sending out a message that he isn’t as one-dimensional as he seems must have felt sweet.South Africa did not allow him any runs on the cut until the 43rd delivery he faced. He went for the shot often enough, and was lucky to avoid chopping onto his stumps, but eventually decided that there were other ways to score and he was good enough to exploit them. At one point, he was 85 off only 75 balls, with flicks reminiscent of Sanath Jayasuriya and drives – the first one especially – that could fit into a Matthew Hayden highlight reel. Dhawan made 69 runs in the arc from long-on to long leg, and only 21 between long-off and third man.But with India on 197 for 2 in the 35th over, a break in play for nearly an hour upset the momentum to such an extent that their top-scorer ended up spooning a catch to mid-off seven balls after play resumed. No sooner had Dhawan walked back that Ajinkya Rahane pulled a short ball straight to deep midwicket. Suddenly, two new batsmen were at the crease: Shreyas Iyer, playing his first innings on this tour and MS Dhoni, who needs time early in his innings to be properly destructive.South Africa recognised their chance, which was a miracle in itself considering Virat Kohli has had them under his thumb this series. He was outstanding on Saturday too, moving to fifth place on the list of top ODI run-getters for India, but his wicket for 75 in the 32nd over, minutes before the weather soured, changed the game.Rabada had a lower-middle order in front of him. And he turned so very hostile. He didn’t care that he held an older ball in his hand, didn’t care that it wasn’t zipping through as before, he kept digging it hard into the pitch, cramping batsmen and hitting them on the body. His final five overs – bowled from the 33rd to the 49th – cost only 28 runs and yielded only one boundary.Rabada also took out India’s hitter Hardik Pandya – with ample help from Aiden Markram. South Africa’s stand-in captain was at cover when a full-blooded slash came his way. He took a split second to position himself, then leapt back, stuck his right hand up and pulled off a screamer that would have had the man he was standing in for – Faf du Plessis – nodding with approval. With Rabada in charge of the final 10 overs, India could scramble only 59 runs. Even Dhoni could only get seven runs off 10 balls in the head-to-head.South Africa ended the day with a sixth straight victory on pink day, while off the field, 1.6 million Rand was raised to fight breast cancer.
With Harry Kane dominating the headlines at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, one deal that went somewhat under the radar was the permanent capture of Sweden international, Dejan Kulusevski, following the winger's 18-month loan spell at N17.
Having been signed by Antonio Conte and then-sporting director Fabio Paratici from Juventus back in January 2022, the fleet-footed forward went on to play a crucial role as the Lilywhites secured Champions League qualification in the second half of that campaign.
Forming part of an exciting attacking triumvirate involving the deadly duo of Kane and Heung-min Son, the 23-year-old plundered five goals and eight assists in just 18 Premier League appearances to quickly cement himself as a key figure in north London.
That was followed by a rather disappointing 2022/23 season, however – in which the wide man scored just twice and provided seven assists in the league – with it perhaps yet to be seen whether he truly warranted a permanent deal at the club.
How much did Tottenham pay for Kulusevski?
After a period of negotiation – which did spark doubts over whether the move would occur – the one-time Parma starlet ultimately signed on the dotted line for a reported fee of £25m, with Spurs having sought a reduction on the £29.2m option to buy that was included as part of the initial loan move.
That deal had emerged despite claims made by 90min back in June that manager Ange Postecoglou was 'not too convinced' by the 30-cap international, with the player seemingly needing to attempt to win over his new boss.
It looks as if the Swede has earned the faith of the ex-Celtic coach so far this term after starting all four league games to date, albeit while scoring just once and failing to provide a single assist in that time.
Amid the winger's mixed fortunes over the past 12 months or so, there is an argument to be made that the signing of an attacking alternative could well have been a better approach, with the club having also reportedly shown an interest in long-time target, Jarrod Bowen, during the recent window.
Did Tottenham want to sign Jarrod Bowen?
According to The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare – writing back in late June – Postecoglou and co had been considering the England international as an option to help strengthen their forward options, after also showing an interest in then-Leicester City man, Harvey Barnes.
As per the report, Bowen had been named on Tottenham's 'list of homegrown targets' heading into the summer, albeit with there having also been an acceptance that the Hammers may be unwilling to sell, after also losing influential captain Declan Rice to Arsenal.
West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen.
To not have at least attempted to prise the former Hull City winger from the London Stadium may well have been something of a mistake, however, particularly the Lilywhites having kept a keen eye on the 26-year-old since being linked with a £20m move back in January 2019 – prior to his move to the Irons a year later.
While reports in recent years have suggested a £75m price tag for the Leominster-born wizard, the player has been valued at closer to €50m (£44m), according to CIES Football Observatory, with that not too far beyond what was dished out for Kulusevski.
How has Bowen performed this season?
That potential transfer failure will only sting even more due to the fact that the Hammers sensation has started the new campaign in a rich vein of form, having already scored three goals and contributed one assist in the top flight to date.
Part of a West Ham side that – like Spurs – has picked up ten points from their opening four league games, the £60k-per-week asset was particularly instrumental in the surprise 3-1 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion a few weeks ago, notable producing an exquisite touch and poked finish at the Amex.
With the aforementioned Rice no longer in the picture, Bowen has been forced to step up and emerge as the true leading talisman for David Moyes' side, albeit while having already carried the goalscoring burden in years gone by in east London.
Excluding the current campaign, the 5 foot 9 speedster – who has been dubbed an "unbelievable player" by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – has scored 26 league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, including bagging 12 goals and ten assists in 2021/22.
The one-time Hereford United ace was also integral in helping to guide his current side to continental glory earlier this year as Moyes' men powered to the Europa Conference League title, netting the decisive goal at the death against Serie A outfit, Fiorentina, in the showpiece.
As a player, like Kulusevski, who typically cuts in onto his stronger left foot from the right flank, Bowen has been particularly deadly in a West Ham shirt over recent years, with Spurs likely to regret the fact that not only did they miss out back in 2019, but also this summer.
Is Bowen better than Kulusevski?
One area that Bowen particularly thrives in is his defensive work rate to help out those around him – despite also being keen to hurt the opposition going the other way – as he ranks in the top 6% among his European peers for interceptions made, as well as in the top 10% for aerial duels won per 90.
Likes to cross
Counter attack threat
Gets fouled often
Does not dive into tackles
That record is superior to what Kulusevski has achieved in a Tottenham shirt over the last 365 days, while operating in the same position, with the Tottenham man ranking in only the top 18% for interceptions and just the bottom 9% for aerial duels won.
Across the course of last season, it was also Bowen who came out on top in a creative sense after creating nine big chances in total for his teammates in the league, with his younger counterpart creating just seven big chances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With Bowen also providing the benefit of having regularly delivered the goods season-in, season-out for Moyes and co over recent years, he could well have represented a more proven and reliable option as far as Postecoglou is concerned.
After previously plucking the likes of Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick from their London rivals, it would appear that Spurs frustratingly fell short this time around…
Teenager Kamlesh Nagarkoti took home half a million, while the experienced Parthiv Patel and Ishant Sharma were passed over
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-20181:08
How the bids unfolded for Ben Stokes
Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga, arguably the highest-profile overseas batsman and bowler in seasons past, went unsold on day one of the IPL 2018 auction in Bengaluru. Gayle had set his base price at INR 2 crore (USD 312,500 approx) and Malinga at INR 1 crore (USD 156,000 approx), numbers that were breached several times in the sale of other players during the day. (Gayle was eventually bought on day two of the auction, though.)England captain Joe Root, who has never been part of the IPL previously, also went unsold – there had been questions asked ahead of the auction on whether the England players would be bought at the auction, given their availability issues. Unsold players could be called back into the auction on day two, if requested by any franchise.Another England player had no problems going for big bucks, though. Allrounder Ben Stokes was the biggest buy in the first round of bidding, going from a base price of INR 2 crore to INR 12.5 crore (USD 1.95m approx) to Rajasthan Royals – back from their two-year suspension for their role in the spot-fixing scandal of 2013. Questions remain over whether he will play in the IPL at all, though, as he faces charges of affray – if he is ruled out before the tournament begins, the IPL will allow Royals a replacement player.Jofra Archer, the man from Barbados who is waiting to become eligible to play for England, attracted as much attention at the auction as he is doing on the field at the Big Bash League. Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings – also back from their suspension – Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royals all bid for him, meaning his base price of INR 40 lakh ballooned 18 times to INR 7.2 crore (USD 1.13m approx) before he was secured by Royals. Archer has been “in the spotlight for his fiery pace and dead-eye fielding for Hobart Hurricanes down under.Teenaged speedster Kamlesh Nagarkoti gets half a million
Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who turned 18 last month, was part of a bidding war that raised his price 16 times from INR 20 lakh to INR 3.2 crore (USD 500,000 approx). KKR made the winning bid. At the ongoing Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, Nagarkoti was clocked at 149 kph in an Indian win over Australia. Another 18-year-old, batsman Shubman Gill, who is also at the World Cup, was picked up by KKR for INR 1.8 crore (USD 281,000 approx) – close to ten times his base price of INR 20 lakh. At the time of the bidding, Gill’s youth ODI average stood at 101.60, with 1016 runs from 14 games. In three innings so far at the World Cup, he has scores of 63, 90 not out and 86. India’s captain at the World Cup, Prithvi Shaw, was also bought, by Daredevils for INR 1.2 crore (USD 187,000 approx). Ishan Kishan, India’s captain at the previous edition of the U-19 World Cup, fetched a price just shy of a million – INR 6.2 crore, from Mumbai.
India opener Shikhar Dhawan was the first player bought at the auction, by Sunrisers, his old franchise using a RTM to snap him up after extensive bidding. He was sold for INR 5.2 crore (USD 812,500 approx) after Kings XI Punjab offered the first bid of the morning with INR 2 crore. That set the tone for a frenetic day of bidding from Kings XI, whom bid more than any other franchise as well as missed on more players than any other franchise due to the others’ RTMs. At one point during the day, Kings XI made the winning bid five times in a row.Offspinner R Ashwin became the day’s first million-dollar player, going for INR 7.6 crore (USD 1.1875 million approx) to Kings XI – Super Kings could not use a RTM on him given they had already retained three capped India players in MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja before the auction.In all 16 RTMs were used on the day*, none more emphatically so than the one Mumbai used on left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Krunal Pandya. As expected, there was fierce and prolonged bidding for him, bumping up his base price a mind-boggling 22 times from INR 40 lakh to INR 8.8 crore. That winning bid was made by Royal Challengers Bangalore, but thwarted by Mumbai and their RTM. That meant Mumbai paid more for Krunal than they did for the third of their retained players, Jasprit Bumrah, whom they had kept on their roster for INR 7 crore before the auction.3:14
KKR buy Chris Lynn once again, this time for $1.5m
For the first time in 11 seasons of the IPL, offspinner Harbhajan Singh will not be turning out for Mumbai; he went to CSK at his base price of INR 2 crore (USD 312,000 approx).It was believed Daredevils and Kings XI would bid for Gautam Gambhir, in order to give themselves a solid captaincy option, and so it was. The two faced off before Daredevils picked him up for INR 2.8 crore (USD 437,000 approx).KL Rahul became the most expensive India player of the day, going for INR 11 crore (USD 1.7m approx) to – yet again – Kings XI. His opening partner in Tests, M Vijay, did not get any bid at all.Rahul was soon joined by his Karnataka team-mate Manish Pandey at the top of the Indian podium; Pandey became the joint-most-expensive Indian player as his base price of INR 1 crore swelled more than ten times, bought by Sunrisers for INR 11 crore (USD 1.7m approx).The afternoon session began with a big surprise, with India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel going unsold. Sanju Samson was a surprise topper in the wicketkeepers bracket – and the fourth-most-expensive India player overall behind Rahul, Pandey and Krunal – going to Royals for INR 8 crore (USD 1.25m approx). RCB snapped up South Africa’s Quinton de Kock for a relative steal: INR 2.8 crore (USD 437,000 approx).Malinga aside, there were several high-profile fast bowlers who went unsold in the afternoon: Ishant Sharma, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell McClenaghan, Josh Hazlewood and Tim Southee.The No. 1 ranked Twenty20 bowler in the world, New Zealand legspinner Ish Sodhi, went unsold. Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan more than doubled his 2017 price of INR 4 crore, getting offered INR 9 crore (USD 1.4m approx) from Kings XI only to be snapped up on a RTM by Sunrisers.As expected, RCB used a RTM on legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal – the league’s top-performing spinner in 2016 – taking him off Daredevils for INR 6 crore (USD 937,000 approx).None of the eight players CSK bought on the day were below 30 years old.*
West Ham United's possible move for Paris-Saint Germain forward Hugo Ekitike is developing further as a report shares some promising news.
Who will West Ham sign on deadline day?
Deadline day is in full swing across the English top flight as major clubs rush to get a deal done before the 11pm cut off tonight.
So far, manager David Moyes has watched the likes of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantions Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus put pen to paper on moves to the London Stadium.
Kudus, who excelled for Ajax last term and at international level for Ghana, arguably stands out as West Ham's biggest coup of the window – with Moyes expressing his delight over the star's capture.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Mohammed to West Ham United,” said the manager.
“He’s a terrific young talent, who has already shone at the very highest level for Ajax in the Champions League and made well over 150 senior appearances at the age of 23 – so it was no surprise to see so many top clubs chasing his signature this summer.
“The fact we’ve been able to attract a player of his undoubted quality to London Stadium shows the pull West Ham have now – the Board and Tim deserve huge credit for getting this one over the line.”
The Hammers, despite doing some terrific business over the last week, may not be done there as reports suggest they remain in the hunt for Juventus wing-back Filip Kostic too.
Meanwhile, Gianluca Scamacca's early window departure to Atalanta leaves Moyes slightly short of options in the forward areas; leading to their deadline day interest in signing Ekitike from PSG.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike.
The Frenchman is also being courted by Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, but according to a report from Sports Zone today, he has his eyes firmly set on a London Stadium move.
Indeed, Ekitike and West Ham are apparently "in agreement", and despite the striker's representatives pushing him towards Eintracht, there's been no progress made.
The 21-year-old really wants to join Moyes, and if it's up to him, he "will join" West Ham today.
How good is Hugo Ekitike?
Ekitike, before his move to Paris last summer, bagged 11 goals in all competitions for his previous club and was praised for his "superb flair" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.
The young forward, despite failing to battle his way into the PSG team lately, could be seen as a player with sky-high potential given his age and room to improve.
Ekitike has been praised by former coaches in past seasons, like former Reims manager Oscar Garcia, who once explained to BeIN Sports' Ligue 1 show, via Chronicle Live, that he is a "quality" attacker.
"There is something very special about him," said Garcia.
"He’s young, and he has the quality to become a very good player. He’s a young man with a lot of quality but also a lot to improve on, but he works hard in training."
Arsenal's purchase of Declan Rice last month sent shockwaves throughout the Premier League.
This was a potential England captain in waiting joining arguably a sleeping giant in English football.
It has nearly been 20 years since the Gunners won the league, but Rice has joined with the beast showing signs of awakening from its slumber.
They fell five points short of Manchester City last term but with Rice and co now, excuse the pun, in their arsenal, they look well poised to challenge again.
What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?
Amid Jurrien Timber's devastating ACL injury, Edu and Mikel Arteta could look at bringing in another defender.
Amongst possible targets are Benjamin Pavard and Kyle Walker-Peters.
That said, another attacker could well arrive as Arsenal hunt a back-up to the effervescent Bukayo Saka.
Last summer, one of their priority targets was Wolves winger Pedro Neto, but after an injury-hit spell that interest appears to have vanished.
Now valued at just £10m, as per Football Transfers, it's a transfer that journalist Ben Jacobs spoke about recently to GIVEMESPORT: "I think Arsenal have looked at Neto previously, but I'm not aware that they've gone back to the table for him at this stage," he said.
What are Pedro Neto's strengths?
Neto has spent a great deal of time on the sidelines in recent years, notably last campaign when he missed 21 matches between October and February with an ankle injury.
Set-pieces
Finishing
Through balls
Aerial duels
Crossing
Physicality
Dribbling
That said, there is still a phenomenal talent inside the Portuguese and given Arteta's qualities as a coach, he could surely extract more.
Indeed, the 23-year-old showed as much during Wolves' opening league match of the season against Manchester United.
The young forward looked back to his best during their 1-0 defeat, notably playing four key passes, five crosses and completing four of his six dribble attempts.
In a nutshell, that encapsulates what Neto is best at. The "explosive" talent, as per AFTV's Robbie Lyle, is a creative force and one who on his day is incredibly difficult to stop.
Like Saka, he favours cutting inside onto his dangerous left foot to wreak havoc, and that's precisely what he did against United.
Wolves winger Pedro Neto.
Having scored just 11 goals in 113 outings for the Old Gold, a lack of end product is perhaps a concern but at such a young age and ravaged by injury in the last few years, there is still plenty to come.
Such a move, of course, could well see the Gunners raid their fellow English sides again. They have done so three times already this summer, bringing in Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Rice from West Ham and David Raya from Brentford.
Declan Rice
West Ham
£105m
Kai Havertz
Chelsea
£65m
David Raya
Brentford
Initial loan
Gabriel Jesus
Man City
£45m
Oleksandr Zinchenko
Man City
£30m
Ben White
Brighton
£50m
Aaron Ramsdale
Sheffield United
£30m
The north Londoners have seemingly been keen to flood their squad with Premier League experience. It's obvious to see why; they have proven success in the division and won't take long to settle in.
Rice was never going to come cheap but paying as much as £105m speaks volumes. When they have a track record of playing immensely well in England's top flight, you will have to pay a premium.
At 24, he is just one year older than Neto and has already hit the ground running at the Emirates.
A lung-busting recovery run to dispossess Bernardo Silva in the Community Shield caught the eye before he came very close to opening his account for the club when he struck the post against Nottingham Forest.
Should a move for Neto be revived, it is hoped he would take little time to adjust either. Arsenal have long been searching for a player who will give them license to rest Saka, and in the flying Wolves star, they may well find their answer.
The Indian Medical Association wrote to the BCCI saying it was troubled by the Test match taking place in hazardous conditions while Sri Lanka manager Asanka Gurusinha urged ICC to deploy air-quality meters in the future
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2017The decision to play the Delhi Test amid high pollution levels has drawn strong criticism from both participating countries with the Sri Lankan manager Asanka Gurusinha and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) deeming the conditions far from ideal. While the IMA wrote to the BCCI and Vinod Rai, the head of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, stating that it was troubled over the third Test between India and Sri Lanka being played in such conditions, Gurusinha urged the ICC to deploy air-quality meters in the future.Gurusinha further said both the India and Sri Lanka dressing rooms had to use oxygen cylinders. “The players are not able to breathe so we’re using oxygen cylinders in the changing room. This has been medically advised to us,” he told . “Even the Indian team is using oxygen cylinders in the dressing room.”The matter has reached the ICC’s attention as well with a spokesperson saying, “The ICC has noted the conditions in which the Delhi Test was played and has already requested the issue is considered by the medical committee for guidance should the situation arise in future. The matter is likely to be discussed in February’s ICC meetings.”According to , IMA president KK Aggarwal said the conduct of the match sent out the message that it was safe for children to play cricket even when the PM (particulate matter) 2.5 levels were more than 300. “Rain and poor light are taken into consideration when determining suitable playing conditions, we suggest that atmospheric pollution should now also be included in the assessing criteria for a match,” Aggarwal stated in his letter to the BCCI.Contending that air pollution could be an important factor in affecting the performance of athletes, Aggarwal quoted from medical literature and said the poor air quality in Delhi may increase the risk of lung and heart disease and trigger a potentially life-threatening event.The safe levels of atmospheric particulate matter, according to World Health Organisation air-quality guidelines, are 20g/cu mm (annual mean) for PM10 and 10g/cu mm (annual mean) for PM2.5. If the air quality index (AQI) is between 151 and 200, it is recommended that outdoor exercises be reduced.”The message from the India and Sri Lanka cricket match that has gone home is that it is safe for children to play cricket even when the PM 2.5 levels are more than 300,” Aggarwal wrote in his letter.The first signs of players’ discomfort in the polluted Delhi atmosphere came on the second day of the Test when five Sri Lanka fielders came out wearing masks in the post-lunch session. There were two stoppages of play spanning a total of 22 minutes after fast bowlers Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal appeared to struggle. Later in the Test, Lakmal and India’s Mohammed Shami were seen throwing up on the field. While the India camp initially appeared to be skeptical of Sri Lanka’s difficulty as bowling coach B Arun questioned their bowlers’ fitness, opener Shikhar Dhawan later conceded the visitors’ discomfort could have been genuine.Pollution in Delhi has been a major health concern in recent winters. A public health emergency was declared by the government in November this year, with schools closing down for a week even as the Delhi half marathon almost turned out a non-starter. During the Test match, air quality in some parts of Delhi was reported to be hazardous, and very unhealthy in the area adjoining the Feroz Shah Kotla.During the interruptions, match referee David Boon was seen talking to a doctor, who had a stethoscope around his neck, presumably for advice on how big a health hazard the current pollution was. Gurusinha felt the ICC needed to lay down guidelines in relation to pollution-related issues. “The match referee David Boon is handling our request. He is collecting all the data. This is an unprecedented situation, and has not happened anywhere before,” he said.”The ICC managers need to sit down and look at the problem. I don’t think anyone should jump the gun but we need to set a standard. Going forward, it should be treated like bad light which is measured by light meters. They may have to use pollution meters. The measures should be universally applied.”SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala offered praise to the Sri Lankan team for sticking it out in tough conditions. “I am proud of the character, spirit and perseverance you each showed under pressure. The challenges you faced, were not limited to the technicalities of the game only, but of external circumstances that challenged each of you personally as well.”
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers could offer an out-of-favour Premier League ace a 'chance' to get his career back on track at Parkhead, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
What's the latest Celtic news?
Hoops manager Rodgers has been proactive in the transfer market since returning to the hot seat at Parkhead, sanctioning deals to bring in Gustaf Lagerbielke, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Yang Hyun-jun, Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm and Maik Nawrocki, as per Transfermarkt.
In their first two league matches of the campaign, Celtic emerged victorious at home to Ross County and away to Aberdeen at Pittodrie to now sit at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, which is a position they are all too familiar with in the east end of Glasgow.
Next up for Celtic is a trip to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday in the Viaplay Cup, with Rodgers keen to enjoy similar success to his side's treble-winning campaign last term under Ange Postecoglou.
Trying to tie down key assets at Parkhead has become a main priority in the final weeks of the window and it is believed that Celtic have opened dialogue with Liel Abada and Reo Hatate over prolonging their deals in Glasgow, as per The Daily Record.
Academy product Stephen Welsh has penned a new four-year contract extension at his boyhood club and has labelled Rodgers as one of the "main reasons" he was keen to stay at his current employers, as per BBC Sport.
In terms of transfer news, The Northern Echo claim that Newcastle United outcast Ryan Fraser has emerged as a target for Celtic and it is believed that a 'formal approach' is being readied for the £42k-a-week Scotland international.
Fraser has been training with Newcastle United's second string and is out of the picture at St James' Park alongside Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones thinks that Fraser could be tempted by the possibility of moving north of the border to join Celtic.
Jones stated: "I'm waiting for someone to take a chance on Ryan Fraser. It's surprising, in a way, that he's remained at Newcastle so far, but it's largely down to the fact that he's been very cautious about stepping down to the Championship.
"Even though there have been offers there, and some of them quite decent, he didn't really want to do that.
"He's been hoping that something exciting might open up. Maybe this is it. Maybe the chance to join Celtic and link-up with Brendan Rodgers could be something that ticks those boxes for him."
Who else could Celtic sign this summer?
According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic are keen on Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence, as he stated on Twitter X: "Celtic are keen on Wolves winger Daniel Podence. He has one year left on his contract & wasn’t included in the squad last night. Wolves want around £12m, but it’s understood Celtic see room for negotiation, if they make an approach."
Celtic are also reportedly interested in Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier alongside Crystal Palace, AS Monaco, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Al Nassr, as per 90min.
England'sEricDier
Nantes left-back Quentin Merlin has been linked with a move to Parkhead this summer and would cost in the region of £7 million, according to Mailplus.
Republic of Ireland youth international Rocco Vata could be on his way out of Celtic this window and the club have no plans to extend his contract of facilitate a loan deal for the attacker, as per Sky Sports journalist Joseph.