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Dujon Sterling has passed a Glasgow Rangers medical ahead of a summer move to Ibrox, according to The Scottish Daily Mail.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news involving Sterling?

The Gers have seemingly acted quickly prior to the transfer market officially opening, looking to bolster Michael Beale’s squad ahead of his first full season in charge.

Sterling was linked with a move to Glasgow earlier this week, with Beale looking to pip Championship side Stoke City to his signature.

Reports then claimed that Chelsea had given Sterling the green light to move north. A transfer still needed final contractual details and a medical to be completed, and it appears as if the latter has been ticked off.

Ibrox News relayed an update from Friday’s edition of The Scottish Daily Mail (back page and page 77, 12 May) regarding Rangers and Sterling. They said:

“Rangers have reached an agreement to sign Chelsea’s Dujon Sterling on a free transfer this summer.

“Chelsea had the option to extend the defender’s contract, but decided against taking advantage.”

Rangers not messing around…

Sterling, who is sponsored by Nike, can play as a right-back or left-back and has been hailed as a “powerful” player by Stoke manager Alex Neil, so should offer some versatility to Beale’s squad for the 2023/24 season.

Alongside the 23-year-old, Rangers are also closing in on signing Kieran Dowell and Jack Butland for free, showing that the club are looking to get plenty of business done in good time. Up to 10 new signings could be made this summer, so it does make sense to look to tie up free transfers as soon as possible.

You’d expect that Sterling will come in to provide competition for club captain James Tavernier, and after previously impressing former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel back in 2021 and gaining plenty of experience out on loan in the Football League, a cut-price transfer may prove to be a wise one by the Gers.

Montu Datta, the match referee of the halted Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club v Abahani Limited DPL Super League match, has said that he has not submitted his report to the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis

Mohammad Isam14-Jun-2016Montu Datta, the match referee of the halted Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club v Abahani Limited DPL Super League match, has said that he has not submitted his report to the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis, the BCB standing committee that runs the tournament. He said that he only sent them an email containing his version of the events that transpired on June 12.The match was halted on Sunday when on-field umpires Gazi Sohel and Tanvir Ahmed walked off the field citing “illness” as the reason, after the Abahani players and fans protested when umpire Tanvir adjudged Raqibul Hasan not out following an appeal for stumping in the 16th over of Doleshwar’s innings. The umpires consulted with Datta and subsequently left the field. The match was not played on the reserve day, Monday.CCDM’s Dhaka Premier League coordinator Amin Khan had claimed on Monday that Datta had submitted his report which effectively postponed the game as it was not held on the reserve day too. Amin said that Datta only mentioned that the umpires cited illness as the reason to not conduct the match and did not write anything about any team, players or supporters using abusive language or threatening the umpires.But Datta said the match referee’s report is based on the umpires’ report which has not been submitted to him yet. He further said that both reports had to be submitted only after the match was completed.”How can I submit my match report before the game is completed?” Datta said. “Until the match is completed you cannot really propose any action against anyone. You cannot take anyone to task without a hearing and if we had completed the match today [Monday] we could have followed the steps required to implement our verdict.”What I gave [to the CCDM] wasn’t a report. I sent them an email telling them what had happened on Sunday. At the time of sending them the mail, the umpires hadn’t even submitted their report. How can a match referee prepare his report when the umpires haven’t given theirs?”Datta also said that his report would also include what the umpires had written about Tamim Iqbal, who was seen arguing with Sohel after the stumping appeal.

Sky Sports journalist Lewis Jones has condemned Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes for a “naughty” challenge.

What’s the latest on Arsenal and Newcastle United?

Looking to give their Champions League ambitions a big boost, the Magpies played host to Arsenal at St James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.

Eddie Howe and co came into the game 13 points behind the Gunners – who are fighting for a Premier League title – but only two points ahead of top-four rivals Manchester United.

With that in mind, plenty was on the line for both teams and the game reflected that as Newcastle nearly got off to the perfect start as Jacob Murphy hit the post before VAR correctly overturned a penalty for a handball against Jakub Kiwior when the ball actually hit his thigh.

It was Arsenal, however, who then took the lead when Martin Odegaard fired into the back of the net from over 25 yards as his effort arrowed past Nick Pope into the bottom corner.

Shortly before the break, though, the Gunners were breaking forward on a quick counter but as Bukayo Saka raced up the field, he was caught by Guimaraes.

As noted on the Sky Sports coverage of the game, Jones slammed the challenge and suggested that it may have been deliberate.

Indeed, he remarked: “You can feel the needle factor growing by the second. This is one is going to kick off at some point. That was a tad naughty from Bruno on Saka.”

What did Guimaraes do against Arsenal?

Of course, there is no sure way of knowing if it was deliberate or not and referee Chris Kavanagh didn’t even award a foul.

Indeed, he seemed to ignore or miss the challenge, even though Saka’s boot flew off after £120k-p/w midfielder Guimaraes raked his studs down the Englishman’s Achilles.

It was a heated end to the first half so this sort of incident just outlined how up for it all the players were on the day as duels were flying in all over the place both on and off the ball.

The Brazilian international certainly isn’t shy of a yellow card, but doesn’t have the worst record in the world with only four to his name in the league this term.

Perhaps the referee took this into consideration when letting this “naughty incident” pass without punishment.

Joe Root has admitted he should already have up to double his nine Test centuries and can’t quite work out why he does not convert into three figures more consistently

Andrew McGlashan07-Jun-2016Joe Root has admitted he should already have up to double his nine Test centuries and can’t quite work out why he does not convert into three figures more consistently.Since the beginning of 2015, Root has scored four centuries in 19 Tests but has been dismissed between 50 and 98 on a further 13 occasions, the most recent being in the first innings at Chester-le-Street when he got into a tangle against Nuwan Pradeep and spooned a catch to cover, having move serenely to 80 – a shot he termed as a “car crash”.He is not letting the issue weigh too heavily on his mind – “I feel I am contributing consistently” – but knows that the best Test batsmen in the world he is jostling with to be ranked No. 1 are judged on their century output.”You are always striving to get better, and it’s an area that over the last few months has been very frustrating for me because I am playing well, but you don’t win games with 70s and 80s. You want to make sure you cash in,” Root said.”There have been a few decent deliveries in there but mainly it’s been batsman error so it’s an area that needs to be addressed in practice – and it has been – and the only thing I can really do is make sure I don’t make the same mistake twice.”You look at the dismissal [in Durham] and it was a car crash, really. It was awful. It’s hard to put your finger on it. I don’t think I change my approach or the way I play when I get to a certain score. I’d like to think it was a bit of a coincidence and it’s all happened together.”I feel my game is in a good place, I’m moving well. If anything maybe I get slightly complacent for the odd ball, sometimes you get away with it and it goes unnoticed and sometimes it catches up with you and you are made to look very silly. I don’t think that’s the case, but it may come across that way. I’m working really hard and it’s something I want to address.”Root stressed how he is not a player too fussed about personal landmarks and suggested that, on occasion, he may get caught up in the natural free-scoring pace that he operates at and that encapsulates this England side.”Complacent is probably the wrong word, maybe concentrating is a better way to put it. Maybe you are caught in the flow of the game, scoring at a certain rate and you try to score against deliveries that don’t allow you to,” he said. “It’s not something that’s really concerning me to be honest, but it’s an annoyance that I want to put right. If I’ve been got out, fair play, but I don’t want to throw it away.”Joe Root passed 50 without going on to score a hundred once again in Chester-le-Street•AFPDespite the issue of reaching three figures on fewer occasions than he would have liked, Root’s game has developed enormously over the last two years – since his recall against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 2014 when he scored a double-century following omission at the end of 2013-14 Ashes whitewash – to make him one of the most complete batsmen in the world. But in his determination to further improve, he watches his contemporaries closely.”As a kid growing up I would look at the best players and think there’s a reason they are at the top, they are doing something that sets them apart,” he said. “These days, AB [de Villiers], Virat [Kohli] in the shorter formats, then Steve [Smith] and Kane [Williamson], it would be silly not to look at the way they play and try to add bits to my game. If you can take any little nugget hopefully you will benefit from it.”Although Root remains a delightful touch player – his innings in the World T20 against South Africa where his 83 off 44 balls marshalled England’s huge chase was a stand-out example – his boundary-hitting has been one of the areas that has developed most significantly since the early days of his international career when a slight, scrawny 21-year-old made 73 off 229 balls against India in Nagpur.”It’s a slow process when it comes to the gym side of it, a long-term improvement I’m looking for,” he said. “If you don’t practice hitting it for six you won’t do it, either. It’s an area I want to keep developing and it’s good to see it going in the same direction.”With boundary-hitting in mind – and his flamboyant whip over deep midwicket in the recent Roses T20 against Lancashire was the latest example of what he is now capable of – Root joked that he would like bats to get bigger, rather than smaller as the ICC cricket committee has recently suggested, but he remains sanguine about any potential changes to the tools of his trade.”If they feel it’s making an unfair advantage then fair enough, as a batter you have to be skilful and strong enough to find different ways of scoring if restrictions will be put in place,” he said. “There’s no less skill in being able to hit it out of the park to being able to flick it as long as it goes for six. If players are good enough they will find ways of doing it.”Root is clearly good enough to adapt to whatever shape (or size) the game takes. He would just like a few more hundreds to show for it.Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/banking

Leeds United are reportedly willing to meet the financial demands of Real Madrid forward Mariano Diaz ahead of a potential summer transfer.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news involving Diaz?

On the pitch, the Whites are currently looking to avoid relegation from the Premier League in the final five games of the season, with this weekend’s trip to Bournemouth appearing to be key.

However, off the pitch, it appears as if the club, who look likely to be under new owners in the 49ers Enterprises this summer, are working on possible signings. Diaz is one player who has been linked with a move to Leeds recently, and a further update has now emerged.

Sport Witness shared news from Defensa Central regarding Diaz in the last 48 hours. They said that the Whites have come forward to sign the forward on a free transfer.

The report claims that Elland Road could be an option for Diaz if he wants to earn €4.5m-a-year (£3.98m) as Leeds are ready to meet his ‘financial demands’.

Only if Leeds are in the Premier League…

The figures shared in the update work out at £76,500-a-week, which could see Diaz become the second-highest earner in Yorkshire behind top scorer Rodrigo.

He has been earmarked as a potential replacement for Patrick Bamford, whose costly late miss against Leicester City could prove pivotal in the club’s survival hopes come the end of the season.

However, if Leeds manage to remain in the top flight for a fourth successive season, Diaz could be a risky signing. The 29-year-old, an out-and-out centre-forward, has won 11 major honours with Madrid but has made just 82 appearances for the club across two spells, contributing to 15 goals.

His only eye-catching campaign came with Lyon, scoring 18 Ligue 1 goals during 2017/18 season, where he was labelled as a “powerful” player by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas during his time in France.

Diaz has struggled for game time at the Bernabeu in recent years, though, so offering him a big deal could be a major gamble, but it looks as if Leeds may be willing to take that risk over the coming months.

Eddie Howe delivered some important injury news following Newcastle United's 6-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

What's the latest Newcastle injury news?

The Newcastle boss took to his post-match press conference to confirm that Allan Saint-Maximin will not be available for selection in the mid-week clash with Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday.

Howe confirmed the absence of the French winger but was unable to give a clear update on Fabian Schar's availability: "I think Everton will be too early for Maxi.

"With Fabian, I don’t know how he is yet. We’ve got a couple of knocks in there."

Will Anthony Gordon start vs Everton?

The Magpies will be keen to continue their strong pursuit of Champions League football next season with a successful trip to the blue side of Merseyside and Anthony Gordon could be the perfect player to get under the skin of his former club.

The 22-year-old has been a consistent feature from the bench – averaging 36 minutes per performance – but a golden opportunity to start on the left flank against Everton could prove to Howe that he is more than worthy of more minutes and a starting spot in the competitive forward line.

Over 25 Premier League appearances for his two clubs, Gordon has scored three goals and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.2 shots on goal per game, proving that he is keen to make an impact in front of goal.

Indeed, the £60k-per-week ace – hailed as "different class" by former teammate James Tarkowski – is yet to find the back of the net but could be involved in bittersweet success on his return to Goodison Park later this week, success that could even be the catalyst in relegating the Toffees.

It has also been reported this week that Saint-Maximin could be set to leave St James' Park this summer, so it will be important for Gordon to make a good impression on his manager to deter Howe from bringing in another winger who could ruin his chances of becoming a nailed-on starter in the future.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Howe should unleash Gordon in the starting XI during the Frenchman's absence as an opportunity to get a look at the player in a full performance would be advantageous to Howe whilst giving the patient winger the minutes he deserves.

Football is one of the most loved sports globally. For this reason, people will join fantasy football and compete with their friends upon the team members they select and how well they play. Did you know that you can get entertainment from sports and at the same time reap profits? What could be better than watching your favorite players win and earning cash from that too? Most people consider betting on sports a hobby and consider it a friendly and entertaining way to pass the time.

Sports betting offers great and consistent ways of making money. The trick lies around knowing how to make smart bets, understanding the odds, etc., before you start betting; it is crucial you understand that making money requires dedication and time. It is not about giving it one shot and making huge amounts of money once.

Here are some on how sports fans can turn their love for the game into profitable wagers.

First, you must be willing to dive into real sports betting. However, you must understand the following before you do.

Check Out Several Bookmakers

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The Fewer the Selections, the Better

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Learn All the Basics

Even though sports betting is very simple, it can be complicated, especially if you lack basic knowledge. You will be much better when you learn all the sports betting basics before you begin placing the wagers. This way, you can enjoy the betting experience and make profits as well.

Tottenham Hotspur's turbulent season reached a new low on Saturday afternoon as the Lilywhites slipped to an agonising, 3-2 defeat to a struggling AFC Bournemouth side at N17, with January signing Dango Ouattara netting a 95th-minute winner for the Cherries to boost their hopes of survival.

The north London outfit had looked to have snatched a point prior to that last-gasp effort as their own winter arrival Arnaut Danjuma lashed home with just minutes remaining, with the visitors having led since early in the second-half courtesy of goals from Matias Vina and Dominic Solanke, following an early strike from Son Heung-min.

On a day of overwhelming frustration for Spurs, as their bid to secure a top-four finish was dealt a notable blow, the latter man's performance was one of the few positives to take from the performance as the South Korean sensation bagged his eighth Premier League goal of the season, having looked 'full of confidence again' in the opening stages, in particular, as per football.london's Alasdair Gold.

That sparkling outing from the 30-year-old – in which he looked 'back to his old self' according to 90min's Sean Walsh – also saw the winger register two key passes and win both of his ground duels, ensuring that he ended the defeat with a standout match rating of 7.8, as per Sofascore – the highest of any of his teammates.

The former Bayer Leverkusen man had managed to open the scoring with a sweeping, left-footed finish after a clever pullback from veteran Croatian, Ivan Perisic, with the latter man racking up his seventh top-flight assist of the season so far from his wing-back berth.

That creative impact had come with the former Inter ace looking like a "constant threat" in those early exchanges, according to the Bournemouth Echo's Tom Crocker, with the 34-year-old looking more like the player that Spurs have been wishing for more regularly this season.

How did Perisic perform against Bournemouth?

There is no denying that it has not been smooth sailing for Perisic since his free transfer arrival last summer, with the £180k-per-week gem having looked like a "complete liability" at the back at times, as writer Andrew Gaffney noted following the defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.

That being said, however, the 125-cap machine was far more influential this time around having produced 'one of his better Spurs performances' – according to Walsh – at left wing-back, showcasing his creative prowess after providing three key passes in total, while also attempting 19 crosses from the flanks.

That desire to make an impact did see the one-time Bayern Munich man lose possession on 33 occasions from his 85 touches, although the ageing talent was able to pose a real problem for the opposition after completing four of his five attempted dribbles and creating two big chances.

One such moment of quality saw the wide man tee up Richarlison from a corner late on only for the Brazilian to inexplicably fail to convert, with that errant effort having ultimately come back to bite the hosts as Ouattara stuck the killer blow at the death.

That all-round display from Perisic ultimately saw the Split native record an impressive match rating of 7.7, as per Sofascore, with that only bettered by his partner in crime, Son, for the north Londoners.

While an encouraging performance from the veteran – in which he also won eight of his 11 total duels – will be of little consolation to Cristian Stellini and co, it was noteworthy to see the 6 foot 1 ace able to make a nuisance of himself down the left flank.

Newcastle United hold concrete interest in signing Watford striker Joao Pedro this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Will Newcastle sign a striker this summer?

Since returning from injury, Alexander Isak has hit a rich vein of form for Newcastle, scoring five goals in his last five Premier League games, though Eddie Howe is still running the rule over new strikers for the summer transfer window.

Marcus Thuram is one target for the Magpies, and they have recently been handed a boost in the race for his signature, as the Borussia Monchengladbach man is said to have rejected a contract offer from Inter Milan.

Goncalo Ramos has also been linked with a move to St James' Park – however, it has now been reported that any potential suitor will now need to fork out €120m (£105m) in order to win the race for the Benfica forward.

There are more affordable options available, however, with Football Insider claiming Newcastle have a concrete interest in signing Watford striker Pedro, who they have tried to sign before.

The Magpies had a £30m offer rejected for the 21-year-old last summer, but they are still said to be keen, and have been closely monitoring him throughout the current campaign.

The starlet is regarded as a top talent, with the versatility required to play in a number of different roles at the top level, and another bid appears to be on the cards this summer.

Would Joao Pedro be a good signing for Newcastle?

After a slow start to life in English football, scoring just three goals in 28 Premier League games during the 2021-22 campaign, the Brazilian is starting to find his feet, albeit in the second tier, emerging as a vital player for Watford.

The marksman is the Hornets' top scorer in all competitions, having scored ten goals so far this season, also weighing in with four assists, which indicates he could be ready to make the step up to the top flight.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig seemingly echoes that view, given that he described the £25k-per-week forward as "one of the Championship's best players" earlier this season, also lauding him as "elegant & skilful".

Over the past year, the attacker ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to his positional peers at a similar level, while he also places in the 92nd for aerials won, showcasing his dominance in the air.

It may be difficult for Pedro to immediately break into the Newcastle starting XI given Isak's recent performances; however, he is still very young and could go on to be an important player in a few years' time.

Newcastle United strengthened their top-four bid with a commanding, 2-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, with the Magpies moving up into third place to raise hopes of Champions League football next season.

With the likes of Liverpool, Brighton and Hove Albion, Fulham and Chelsea all dropping points below in the table, Eddie Howe's men capped a fine weekend with that convincing win over the Old Trafford outfit, in front of what was a raucous St James' Park crowd.

On a day in which both Joe Willock and Callum Wilson got themselves on the scoresheet, the star attraction for the hosts was seemingly that of midfield maestro, Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian ace having been handed the Player of the Match award by Sky Sports pundit, Gary Neville.

The former Lyon playmaker produced a display that was 'fit for the Champions League', according to the Chronicle's Lee Ryder, having registered three key passes and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, while also winning nine ground duels to showcase his class both in and out of possession.

The £40m man was not the only figure to impress in that relentless encounter, however, with fleet-footed Frenchman, Allan Saint-Maximin also looking "back to his best", according to the Northern Echo's Scott Wilson.

How did Saint-Maximin perform against Man United?

It is fair to say that Diogo Dalot will likely be glad to see the back of the Newcastle wide man, with the Portuguese full-back having previously endured a torrid time of it up against Saint-Maximin in the Carabao Cup final, being 'skinned' early on at Wembley – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – before getting hooked at the interval.

While Dalot would last the entire 90 minutes this time around, it was a similar story in truth, with the Red Devils defender having again looked 'uncomfortable' against his opposite man, according to Luckhurst.

The former Porto ace simply couldn't live with the relentless and dynamic attacking threat of Saint-Maximin, with the latter man having looked 'dangerous' throughout, as per Ryder, having provided a real creative spark after registering six key passes.

The £70k-per-week maverick notably picked out teammate Willock for the game's opener with an inventive header back across the box, with that the winger's first goal involvement in the league since registering an assist against Southampton back in November.

It has no doubt been a frustrating, injury-impacted campaign for the former Nice wizard, although on the evidence of Sunday's display he could well be getting 'back to his best', with the 26-year-old having made "intelligent decisions", according to his manager.

Such a standout performance – which also included winning four ground duels – ensured that Saint-Maximin was able to record a 7.8 match rating, as per Sofascore, before being withdrawn late on, with that only bettered by teammate Kieran Trippier (8.1) among any player for either side.

The former France U21 international will, of course, need to maintain such momentum between now and the end of the season, although it would be a truly exciting prospect for Howe if Saint-Maximin can truly catch fire over the coming weeks.