All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur have well and truly kickstarted the Ange Postecoglou reign with a few key deals and a clear shift in style, but there could be one more incoming to cap off a fine summer of revolution…

Is Elye Wahi joining Tottenham Hotspur?

Although having only been linked earlier this week, it remains a hot topic of conversation that the Lilywhites could be set to involve themselves in the race to sign Elye Wahi.

The Montpellier man, who has enjoyed a fine couple of years in his homeland, has come of interest to many top European clubs seeking to add the lethal 20-year-old to their ranks.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

However, his €40m (£34m) price tag remains a stumbling block, capable of putting off many of his suitors. This would not be the case for Spurs though, as the unusually free-spending nature of Daniel Levy thus far in the window suggests there is no telling who he might bring in next.

How good is Elye Wahi?

To snag a French star from Ligue 1, fresh from an outstanding season, would be to repeat the success of old from within north London.

After all, although his powers might have waned more recently, Hugo Lloris was a famous export from that division, having moved from Lyon back in 2012.

The young shot-stopper joined as part of Andre Villas-Boas' transformative summer, and whilst the Portuguese boss would later be dismissed, his signing has remained for the 11 years following, featuring under seven permanent bosses.

He is a true Spurs legend, having made 447 appearances for the club and becoming the club captain more recently, and was once one of the Premier League's paramount keepers.

During the 2018/19 campaign, he would maintain a 7.12 average rating, buoyed by his 12 clean sheets, 3.1 saves per game at a success rate of 71%, via Sofascore. That was the highest rating of any goalkeeper that year in the league.

Should Wahi join and hit the ground running, becoming even half as influential as the 36-year-old titan came to be, Postecoglou and Levy would both be delighted.

Last term saw the youngster find the net 19 times in the league, assisting a further six. He shows steady progress from the year prior, where he would notch just ten times, suggesting that the sky really is the limit for his scoring.

Such fine form and a rise to prominence have led to praise from many, with ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo noting:

"He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

This level of ingenuity and quality could mark a perfect partner or even long-term replacement for Harry Kane, whose future still remains uncertain.

Lloris enjoyed a lengthy stay in north London, and although he remains their player, it is widely accepted that this summer will be his last.

He will likely leave a hero, with former teammate and compatriot Clement Lenglet having suggested so with regard to his national team:

"To all French people, he's a legend because he's a very good person, a very good professional, an amazing goalkeeper. He's one of the best players in the history of the French national team."

Wahi will be hoping to earn that level of fame amongst the Spurs support, who in ten years' time will look back at Lloris' spell with fondness rather than the frustration it ended with.

With five of their first-choice players contracted with CPL franchises, an opportunity arises for the tested USA players to be tried

Peter Della Penna01-Aug-2017Offspinner Muhammad Ghous, who was dropped last year after captaining USA at the 2015 World T20 Qualifier in Ireland, has been recalled in a 14-man squad picked for USA’s T20 matches against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs in Lauderhill, Florida on August 2 and 3.The games are being used as preparation for both CPL teams ahead of their season-opening slate in Florida beginning on August 5 while also providing USA’s players with a chance to impress against higher-profile opponents. These matches will be USA’s first games since they failed to gain promotion from WCL Division Three in Uganda this past May.USA squad

Camilus Alexander, Fahad Babar, Davion Davidson (wk), Muhammad Ghous, Elmore Hutchinson, Nosthush Kenjige, Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Japen Patel, Mrunal Patel, Nisarg Patel, Usman Rafiq, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Abdullah Syed

“These matches are a great opportunity for USA to compete against some of the best in the world,” USA selection chairman Ricardo Powell said. “Initiatives such as these are of critical importance for the development of our playing group and we are grateful to the CPL, St. Kitts [& Nevis] Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs for arranging these practice matches in the lead up to the USA-leg of the tournament.”The door for Ghous’ return was opened by five of USA’s first-choice players being unavailable due to their involvement with CPL franchises. They include captain Steven Taylor (Guyana Amazon Warriors), allrounder Timroy Allen (Tallawahs), wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson (Barbados Tridents), fast bowler Ali Khan (Warriors) and legspinner Timil Patel (St Lucia Stars).Along with Taylor, the rest of USA’s batting top-four from Division Three – Sagar Patel, Ibrahim Khaleel and Alex Amsterdam – were all omitted due to unavailability on short notice. Sagar and Khaleel are both currently in Europe on previously arranged time away while New York-based Amsterdam was unable to get leave from work, according to sources. Batsman Nicholas Standford, who was part of the squad in Uganda, is also believed to have been unavailable due to work commitments.That presents opportunities to impress for a host of uncapped players including 37-year-old former Sri Lankan first-class batsman Roy Silva, Davion Davidson and Jaskaran Malhotra. Silva and Davidson were both part of USA training squads at trials held in Texas earlier this year but did not make the final cut for the 14-man squad taken to Uganda for Division Three.Former Sri Lankan first-class batsman Roy Silva also has the opportunity to make his USA debut•Peter Della PennaMalhotra, 28, has been on the selection radar due to his high scores in private T20 tournaments held around the country but, like Silva, had not completed the ICC’s four-year residency requirement until recently. The maximum of two four-year resident non-citizen players in a playing XI for ICC tournaments has been relaxed for these games against the CPL teams, which has opened the door for not just Silva, Davidson and Malhotra but also Nisarg Patel and Camilus Alexander to all appear in the same squad.Former USA Under-19 allrounder Nisarg is yet to make his USA senior debut but played for USA against a CPL Invitational XI last year in Lauderhill. The same goes for offspinner Usman Rafiq, also included in this squad.Of the team that went to Uganda, only six players were retained for the two CPL games. Along with Alexander, the others kept in are opener Fahad Babar, who sat on the bench all tournament with a hand injury, allrounder Mrunal Patel and bowlers Elmore Hutchinson, Jessy Singh and Nosthush Kenjige.Apart from Ghous, the two other players who have been recalled are hard-hitting batsman Abdullah Syed and allrounder Japen Patel. Syed was dropped after a run of low scores during USA’s Division Four winning run last year in Los Angeles while Japen has not played for USA since the 2015 World T20 Qualifier.The two games for USA are part of a series of development initiatives organised by the CPL in Florida ahead of twin double-headers on August 5 and 6. The CPL is also working with the ICC Americas staff to run training seminars for USA-based coaches and umpires during the week.”The Hero CPL is firmly committed to spreading the game of cricket in the USA and these matches are just another example of this,” Damien O’Donohoe, CPL chief executive, said. “We see so much potential for growth of cricket in the USA and we want to make sure we are doing all we can to help that cause.”

Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is suddenly "very close" to joining Russian side Spartak Moscow this summer, according to recent reports.

Who will leave Spurs?

New manager Ange Postecoglou is overseeing an N17 overhaul with a trio of new signings through the door in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

Having spent in and around £60 million, not including permanent deals for Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, Spurs will be focusing on outgoings as well as the signing of a star defender or two.

Reports suggest that the north Londoners want a new centre-back next, with Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer all linked.

However, before moving for a player in that position, it could be important to offload some deadwood. Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped to potentially leave, while Spurs could also offload Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon (The Telegraph).

Lloris, speaking to Nice-Matin recently, even admitted that he could leave this window and calls this year the "end of an era" at Tottenham.

“We have reached an important moment, whether it be for the club or me,” said Lloris.

“It’s the end of an era. I have a desire for something else. I will carefully study what is possible. However, I haven’t forgotten that I have a year left on my contract at Tottenham, and in football, it’s always hard to predict what will happen."

Harry Winks has already left to join Leicester City, but so far, that has been their only confirmed exit. However, according to Win Sports TV journalist Pipe Sierra, Sanchez could soon follow the Englishman.

Sierra, a Colombian sports reporter, claims that the 27-year-old is "very close" to becoming a new Spartak Moscow player and there is "already an agreement" between the clubs.

Now, Spartak hope to "close" Sanchez's personal terms imminently, with that being the last step in these advanced talks.

"EXCL. Davinson Sánchez (27) is very close to becoming a new #SpartakMoscow player," wrote Sierra on Twitter.

"There is already an agreement with #Tottenham and they hope to close the Colombian's personal terms in the next few hours. The defender does not look badly on his arrival in Russian football."

How good is Davinson Sanchez?

The South American defender has struggled at Spurs over these last 12 months, having come under fierce criticism whilst failing to establish himself as a key member of their starting eleven.

It could well be time for him to move on from Hotspur Way, but club legend and former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino has held Sanchez in very high esteem previously.

The ex-Tottenham boss even hailed Sanchez as a "beast" once upon a time, mainly for his efforts playing two games back-to-back in a 48-hour period.

"For me, the surprise was Davinson Sanchez," said Pochettino in 2018.

"He was a beast playing two games in less than 48 hours. He has done very well, he is very strong physically and mentally. Today he was fantastic on the pitch, to praise him isn't enough, the effort was fantastic."

For Australia this is a must-win game; for England, a victory would continue their winning momentum into the semi-finals, but their real incentive must surely be the chance to eliminate their oldest foe

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale 09-Jun-2017Match facts
June 10, 2017
Start time 10.30am local (0930 GMT)2:28

Fleming: England have the resources to finish off innings

Big pictureWhich was the only undefeated team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup? It wasn’t Spain, for although they finished the tournament as champions, they lost a game to Switzerland in the group stage. No, the only side that went through the 2010 World Cup unbeaten was New Zealand, who drew all three of their group matches but failed to progress to the knockouts. It is a piece of trivia that pops up frequently in quizzes, but why is it relevant to the 2017 Champions Trophy? Because it is just possible that Australia could find themselves the answer to a similar question. If their final group match against England is washed out, and should England then fail to win the tournament, Australia would emulate the All Whites in 2010 in achieving an equally underwhelming exit.Such has been the frustration for Australia throughout this competition. Since they secured victory over Sri Lanka in a warm-up game at The Oval, Australia have had three games washed out: one further warm-up, and two matches in the tournament proper. Their third match, against England, is at Edgbaston, where not a single game has yet been played in this tournament without being affected by rain. The forecast for Saturday suggests rain in the morning and in the evening, which could allow enough time during daylight hours to complete a match – if the Met Office knows its stuff. Then again, if the past couple of days in the UK have proven anything, it is that the art of prediction is difficult, even for the experts.The scenario in Group A is simple. England are through to the semi-finals no matter what, and so too will Australia be if they beat England in this game. In the event of Australia losing or the game being washed out, Bangladesh will qualify alongside England. So for Australia this is a must-win game; for England, a victory would continue their winning momentum into the semi-finals, but their real incentive must surely be the chance to eliminate their oldest foe before they’ve even got started in the competition.Form guideEngland WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LLWWW3:10

Fleming: Probably the right time to replace Jason Roy

In the spotlightWho would you say is the leading ODI wicket taker of the past 12 months? Mitchell Starc? Kagiso Rabada? Nope. The answer is Liam Plunkett, the England fast bowler who is enjoying a career renaissance nearly 12 years after he made his debut for England. Plunkett is still only 32, with potentially several years of international cricket ahead of him, and in the one-day format he is peaking. Over the past year Plunkett has taken 43 ODI wickets, more than any other player (although Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, currently in the West Indies, might have overtaken him by the time this game starts). And a pair of four-fors to start the Champions Trophy means Plunkett is in fine form heading towards the business end of the tournament.Despite the wet weather, most of the Australians who have been selected in the first two games have either had a chance to bat or a decent spell with the ball, or in the case of Matthew Wade, kept wicket for nearly 90 overs. The exception is Glenn Maxwell, whose entire contribution so far has been a solitary over that cost nine runs against Bangladesh. If Plunkett has experienced a career renaissance over the past year, Maxwell has found himself at something of a career crossroads in the same period, struggling to hold his place in Australia’s side and in one case even being dropped by Victoria. And yet in the same time he has struck maiden centuries in Test and T20 international cricket. Maxwell has curiously been overtaken by Travis Head in Australia’s spin-bowling plans of late, and thus will be desperately waiting for a chance with the bat to – again – prove his value.Team newsEngland appear unlikely to make any changes, with struggling opener Jason Roy strongly backed to retain his position. Jake Ball, under scrutiny following an expensive outing against Bangladesh, bounced back superbly against New Zealand, stepping into Chris Woakes’ new-ball bowling boots to claim the Man of the Match award.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jake Ball.Having not completed an innings so far in the tournament, Australia have had limited chance to assess their batsmen. Chris Lynn could be in contention for a call-up, but less clear is who would sit out to accommodate him.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Moises Henriques, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Travis Head, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.Pitch and conditionsBig runs have been on offer at Edgbaston in this tournament, and this match should be no different. The pitch is new and will be good – it had been earmarked for Wednesday’s clash between Pakistan and South Africa but was too damp for use at the time – but there will also be rain in Birmingham on Saturday, the question is whether it will come at game time.Stats and trivia Against Bangladesh, David Warner became the fastest Australian to 4000 ODI runs and the equal third among all-comers, behind Hashim Amla and Viv Richards Eoin Morgan in this match will move into equal second on the list of ODIs captained for England; this game will take him to 62, alongside Andrew Strauss, and behind only Alastair Cook (69) Australia could be forgiven for expecting the worst from this game: of their past six ODIs at Edgbaston (a period stretching back to 2005), five have been washed out.Quotes”Our motivation is purely on keeping momentum going and playing well. We think we’re still learning, still trying to be as good as we can be. Who we’re playing on Saturday is irrelevant. It’s case of us continuing to do well.”
Paul Farbrace, England’s assistant coach, hopes his team can focus on performance rather than the identity of their opponents.“You can’t do much about it. You can’t control the weather, so for us it’s simple. We have to win the next game. That’s all we can do”

Arsenal appear to be far from finished when it comes to spending big this summer, with a fresh report detailing Mikel Arteta's latest transfer venture; a potential move for Mohammed Kudu.

What is the market value of Mohammed Kudus?

The latest comes courtesy of the Daily Mail, who suggest that the Gunners are now interested in prying Kudus from Ajax.

Having already welcomed Kai Havertz (24), Declan Rice (24) and Jurrien Timber (22) this summer, the 22-year-old trickster would align with this youth-focused philosophy whilst providing some additional firepower from midfield.

Whilst the report suggests that the Amsterdam outfit will command a £40m fee for his services, it also notes that Edu retains a focus on trimming the squad before wading back out into the market.

Football Transfers only value the Ghana international at €12.8m (£11m) though, with his actual price tag likely elevated through his recent outstanding seasons and emergence at the 2022 World Cup.

Would Kudus be a good signing for Arsenal?

Whilst many might assume that Kudus would be preferred from the wing, it is actually his versatility that would likely make him such a valuable asset for Arteta.

After all, his free-flowing system would benefit from a player who could enact changes mid-game, without having to waste a substitute to alter the make-up of his side. Just last term saw him feature off the right, from attacking midfield and even up front.

An ability to shift would also help unlock their new German maestro too, who is yet to truly realise the potential that was promised following earlier form in his homeland.

Havertz recorded 27 goal contributions across all competitions in his final season before moving to Chelsea, and yet in 139 appearances for the Blues, he has scored just 32 times and assisted a further 15. Unlocking him at the Emirates could prove pivotal in making the north London outfit a true threat to Manchester City.

Whilst he endured a particularly profligate campaign just last year, with just seven strikes from 11.60 xG (expected goals) in the Premier League, he retained his creativity despite deputising as a central striker.

When compared against other number nines across Europe, he ranks in the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 12% for progressive passes received per 90, via FBref.

Should he prove to be the link between the midfield and attack, dropping in between the lines to accept the ball and progress the play, Kudus' proficiency from any number of positions could help boost the 24-year-old's figures massively.

Last season across all competitions, the speedster recorded 18 goals and a further seven assists, as well as being his country's highest-rated player, as per Sofascore, at the recent World Cup. These figures helped the youngster reach 44 goals within what has been a short but successful career thus far.

He was also linked with an exit last summer, whilst fellow Eredivisie hotshot Antony's potential move to Manchester United was touted, the two found themselves on the end of something of a forced competition.

However, the legendary Dutch striker Marco van Basten would seek to quash this debate, as he noted: "I find Mohammed Kudus a much better football player than Antony. Antony has his skills, but he is confused with the things he is trying to do! Kudus has much better technique and he knows what he is doing. Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical.

"He is much more of a footballer, you can place him anywhere on the pitch, an all-rounder for the team. In fact, I like him much better than Antony. He’s more fun to watch play.”

With the Brazilian having scored just four times in the league since that £86m summer move, this notion is somewhat supported.

A move to a rival of the Red Devils would likely see this fight between the two intensify, although Arteta would be keen to dispel such a battle. He will instead be focused on getting the best out of his ever-improving squad, which Kudus' arrival would certainly facilitate.

He and Havertz, with the former's physical excellence and lethal scoring touch, and the latter's creativity, could strike up a frightening partnership that propels this side closer to elite honours.

A clear head and trust in his instincts were crucial factors in Rising Pune opener Rahul Tripathi scoring a barrage of boundaries against one of the strongest attacks in the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-20171:25

‘Tripathi caught eye even in domestic season’ – Tiwary

A clear head and trust in his instincts were crucial factors in Rising Pune Supergiant opener Rahul Tripathi scoring a barrage of boundaries against one of the strongest attacks in the tournament, on an Eden Gardens surface that most of his team-mates struggled on.Tripathi smashed 78 of his 93 runs in boundaries – at one stage it was 50 out of 53 – and was only dismissed in the penultimate over of the chase, when Rising Pune were six runs away from their target of 156.”If I had made some plans that wouldn’t have worked because these are good bowlers, they are a good bowling side,” Tripathi told . “So I just kept it simple to watch the ball and hit the ball and just go with my gut feeling. Keeping my mind blank … that was important and that helped me today. I played as the ball was coming so I played according to the merit of the ball.”I feel good. I was getting good starts so I wanted to carry on that start. It’s good that we won the match, that is more important. I would have loved to finish the match, that’s one thing. But it’s okay, if we win the match it’s okay I miss the century.”Tripathi has impressed with his crisp strokeplay while opening in the IPL and is fifth on the run-scorers’ list behind David Warner, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan.He’s also given Rising Pune rapid starts by scoring freely against fast bowlers, especially by targeting the off side, and revelled on a re-laid pacer-friendly Eden Gardens pitch on Wednesday. While he has scored briskly against the spinners too, his 224 runs against pace at a strike rate of 159 shade his 128 runs against spinners at a strike rate of 149. He said sharing the dressing room with international players had given him a lot of confidence.”It’s helping me a lot, it’s a dream experience for me. Opening with Ajinkya , even if he says simple things like, ‘you are batting well,’ you get a belief that somebody like Ajinkya Rahane is telling you that you are hitting the ball well with good intent,” Tripathi said. “Even off the field, Faf [du Plessis] is there, Ben [Stokes] is there, even the coaches, our team is having so much fun. Playing with MS [Dhoni] bhai … he’s a legend. Two times I’ve been not out luckily while batting with him.”Against Kolkata Knight Riders, Tripathi showed his love for the leg side too. Of his seven sixes, six were smashed on the leg side off Umesh Yadav, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Kuldeep Yadav. While he pulled and hooked the quick bowlers, he also made reading Kuldeep’s wristspin look easy by hammering him for three consecutive sixes in the 13th over. Kuldeep had troubled Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary with his wrong’uns in their previous match in Pune, but Tripathi smacked 29 runs off the 10 balls he faced from the wristspinner on Wednesday.Tripathi now has more runs this IPL season than his international team-mates Steven Smith and Stokes, and has given his team solid starts even as Rahane averages just over 20 at a strike rate of 120 in 11 innings. Tripathi’s 251 runs off 144 balls is also the best Powerplay aggregate this season, ahead of Warner’s 238 off 160 balls.However, he did not hesitate to admit that batting in front of big crowds in the IPL got him nervous sometimes. “I’m not that much used to playing in front of such crowds so I got late to react both times,” he said, about getting run out twice this season.Tripathi’s innings ensured Rising Pune went third in the league, over-taking Sunrisers Hyderabad with their sixth win in seven games. Both teams have played 11 games and Rising Pune have 14 points, while Sunrisers have 13.

Sunderland impressed by wrapping up the majority of their transfer business early in the window, but manager Tony Mowbray has made it clear the club are still in need of another striker.

Who have Sunderland signed?

The Black Cats have targeted youthful players so far this summer, with Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham, Luis 'Hemir' Semedo and Jenson Seelt all joining so far.

However, while Hemir arrives with a reputation of being a hugely talented striker following his time at Benfica, he has yet to play any senior football.

Factor in Amad Diallo's return to parent club Manchester United, plus the fact Ross Stewart is going to miss the start of the new season, and it is clear why Mowbray has publicly stated his desire to bring in another attacking player.

Ellis Simms looked like being the ideal man to lead the line for Sunderland next season after his hugely successful spell on loan in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign – when he netted seven goals in just 17 games – but Championship rivals Coventry City got to the Everton striker first.

That leaves Sunderland looking far and wide for another striker, and it may be that they turn to one of their previous targets, with the East Anglian Daily Times reporting earlier this year that Mowbray is a fan of Peterborough United's Jonson Clarke-Harris.

How many goals has Jonson Clarke-Harris scored?

Clarke-Harris does not exactly fit the profile for the type of player Sunderland have previously targeted, given the £6.1k-per-week striker will turn 29 later this month.

However, that is arguably the peak age for a striker, while Clarke-Harris's experience – and not least his goalscoring ability – could be a huge factor in what Black Cats supporters will hope is another promotion push this coming season.

Indeed, Clarke-Harris has twice won the Golden Boot award in League One – a division he is clearly too good for.

The one-cap Jamaica international jointly-led the scoring charts again in the third tier last season with 26 goals in 46 regular-season games, yet Peterborough somehow missed out on promotion after capitulating in their play-off semi-final with Sheffield Wednesday.

Clarke-Harris has over 400 senior appearances to his name, having started his career by becoming Coventry's youngest-ever player aged 16 in 2010, and has scored 138 times.

The Leicester-born striker averaged 0.59 goals per 90 minutes during the regular League One season last time out, as per FBref, which is a tally only Stewart (0.86) can better among Sunderland players, albeit in a division higher.

It would be easy to dismiss Clarke-Harris as a player who can perform in League One but is unable to take the step up to the Championship, yet he scored 12 goals in a poor Peterborough team the last time he played at that level. To put that in some perspective, only Diallo (13) bettered that among Sunderland players last season.

Hailed as a "special talent" during his time at Rotherham United by then-manager Steve Evans, it may well be that Clarke-Harris now has a chance to show exactly what he is capable of for a team battling to earn promotion from the Championship.

Such a signing would then be a solution to the Black Cats' problem position…

Counties producing two ‘below average’ pitches in a 12-month period could be penalised under new regulations brought in by the ECB for the 2017 County Championship season

George Dobell29-Mar-2017Counties producing two ‘below average’ pitches in a 12-month period could be penalised under new regulations brought in by the ECB for the 2017 County Championship season.In a further attempt to encourage counties to produce better quality pitches, the ECB have widened the criteria under which they can take action. Whereas, in the past, pitches had to be rated ‘poor’ or even ‘unfit’ to incur a penalty, the new regulations state that “Two or more Below Average pitches in a 12-month period, rated so because of sub-standard performance relating to spin, seam or unevenness, if allied to intent would liable to penalty.”Ahead of the 2016 season, the ECB announced several other measures designed to encourage better pitches. In particular, they announced that visiting captains would be able to choose to bowl first in the Championship without the need to utilise a toss of the coin and they declared that away sides would be awarded 16 or 20 points (depending on the number of bonus points already won) if the home side prepared an “unfit” pitch. The home side would get no points from the match irrespective of any bonus points already won. Those regulations remain in place for the 2017 season.The final rating of pitches will be made by one of the Cricket Liaison Officers. With the ECB having increased the number of CLOs to 10, there should be one at every day of Championship cricket. They will consult with the umpires, players and ground staff before coming to a conclusion. The addition of the clause “if allied to intent” would suggest they are not seeking to take a punitive view to counties hit by poor weather or excessive use of their squares, but rather encourage a better balance between bat and ball..Other changes to the playing conditions allow for time lost during a Championship match to be made up (to a maximum of 30 minutes) over the first three days – rather than just on the day concerned – while the ECB have confirmed that the hours of the day-night games will be 2pm until 10pm. The intervals will still be referred to as ‘lunch’ and ‘tea’ despite being scheduled for 4pm and 6.40pm. Play cannot extend beyond 10pm to make up for lost time.Meanwhile, in limited-overs cricket, the ECB have banned the use of the heavy roller after the start of games in the Royal London Cup, meaning only a light roller can be used between innings. There was a concern that, with the tournament scheduled for April and May, bowling first might provide too much of an advantage. The heavy roller can also not be used in the NatWest Blast.The new Laws relating to the size of cricket bats, outlined previously by MCC, are due to come into effect on October 1 and are not being adopted for the English domestic season. But other Law changes will be adopted: a batsman can now be caught off a fielder’s helmet and a batsman will not be run out if their bat bounces up having previously been grounded once he has completed his run. In the unlikely event that a bowler’s cap falls off and breaks the wicket during his delivery, the umpire will call no-ball.Other regulations used in 2016 – notably the change to the toss regulations- will remain in place for the 2017 season.

Fulham are said to hold an "interest" in Manchester United midfielder Fred this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Fred leaving Manchester United?

Having struggled to earn the trust of several Man United managers, Fred's time at Old Trafford is running out.

The 30-year-old has failed to consistently hold down a staring berth since his arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has ultimately underwhelmed given the size of his £52m transfer fee.

Fred has made 213 appearances over his five years in Manchester, averaging just under 43 a season, but is yet to make the impact necessary to flourish in a Man United midfield. With his contract expiring next summer, the Red Devils will not want to lose him for free.

As a result, Erik ten Hag will aim to recoup as much of that £52m as he possibly can – money that can then be spent on improving the rest of his squad ahead of a busy campaign.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fulham are one of the clubs that hold an interest in acquiring the services of the midfielder in the transfer window.

Speaking on his YouTube channel about Fred's possible United exit, Romano said:

"United are considering the possibility to sell Fred in this transfer window. It's true that there is interest from Fulham, but also other clubs are really keen on Fred.

"So, keep an eye on the Brazilian midfielder because he could be one more on the exit door for Manchester United."

Fulham have enjoyed recent success with their Brazilian recruitment as Andreas Pereira and Willian both made vital contributions for the Cottagers after arriving last summer, with the former joining from United.

Fred will perhaps be eyeing up the opportunity to follow in their footsteps, joining a solid midfield that was the heartbeat of Fulham's success last season. Both Joao Palhinha and Harrison Reed performed brilliantly in Marco Silva's crunching midfield and the Portuguese coach will be eager to add even more bite to the centre of the park.

Fulham finished 10th last season – only nine points off a European place – and will be desperate to avoid the dreaded second season syndrome, with reinforcements in the transfer market likely to help solidify their status as a Premier League club.

What is Fred worth?

According to recent reports, United have slapped a £20m price tag on Fred despite the fact that his contract is up in a year and he will be 31-years-old next March.

Whether a team will be willing to pay such a sum for a midfielder approaching the wrong end of his career is questionable, but given United's willingness to sell it is possible that some negotiating could bring that fee down.

A £20m transfer would make Fred Fulham's fourth-most expensive signing of all-time, behind Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Jean Michael Seri.

Considering Palhinha, who is now valued so highly amid the summer transfer window, only set the Cottagers back £20m himself, Silva may feel there is better value to be extracted from looking at foreign leagues rather than England's top-flight.

Fred only averaged just over 35 minutes per Premier League appearance last season, despite the fact he was used 35 times by Ten Hag, and perhaps hasn't shown the quality necessary to thrive at Craven Cottage.

It has been a summer of turbulence for Celtic so far as they have lost key members of their team on and off the pitch since the start of last month.

Manager Ange Postecoglou departed to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and midfielder Aaron Mooy officially retired, while Jota has completed a permanent transfer to Al-Ittihad.

Brendan Rodgers, who replaced the Australian tactician at the helm, has also been able to snap up two new signings; Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio.

The Hoops boss has also been linked with a swoop for Young Boys midfielder Fabian Rieder, who could come in as his dream heir to Matt O'Riley's place in the squad.

Premier League teams have been touted with interest in the Denmark international this year and Celtic are said to be expecting offers to come in for him ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

How did Fabian Rieder perform last season?

Rieder enjoyed a terrific campaign for his side in the Super League and his performances suggest that the potential is there for him to be an excellent replacement for O'Riley, should the ex-Fulham man depart Parkhead over the months to come.

The Switzerland international, who is valued at €10.5m (£9m) by FootballTransfers, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.17 across 33 league outings as he showcased his ability in and out of possession.

On the ball, the 21-year-old created 1.8 chances and completed 0.8 dribbles per game to go along with his seven goals from the middle of the park, as per Sofascore. Had he registered those numbers in a Celtic shirt, he would have ranked second and joint-first respectively among central midfielders within the Hoops' squad last term.

O'Riley, meanwhile, produced just 0.6 dribbles but a mighty 2.1 key passes per match for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, which does not suggest that there is a huge difference between them in that regard.

Defensively, Rieder made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game while also coming out on top in 48% of his individual duels for Young Boys. No Celtic midfielder managed more than O'Riley's 2.2 tackles and interceptions combined per clash, suggesting that the Swiss ace could provide Rodgers with more bite in the middle of the park.

These statistics outline that the talented magician, whose "exemplary determination" was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has proven himself to be a midfield player with the ability to make a significant impact at both ends of the pitch.

Rieder has the potential to be an exceptional heir to O'Riley due to his defensive and offensive quality, to create chances while also being able to win possession back on a regular basis, which is why this signing could alleviate any concerns about the Danish gem's possible departure.