"Top player" may join Moyes and replace current West Ham "colossus"

West Ham United had an interesting summer transfer window, with the alarm bells initially ringing over the fact that Declan Rice had departed. The arrival of players like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez silenced that alarm, and the Hammers have since got off to an impressive start in the Premier League this season to make the academy graduate's exit a forgotten woe.

David Moyes will be well-aware of the need to avoid any further damaging exits, though, making the January transfer window a particularly interesting one. Reports suggest that West Ham do have a plan if one star leaves the club in the winter window, however, with a potential return for a summer target that they missed out on.

West Ham transfer news: Zouma and Maguire

The latest West Ham transfer news, as per 90min, has seen Kurt Zouma linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in January, which would leave the Hammers without one of their most important defenders. The Frenchman has started every Premier League game so far this season, and has taken the captain's armband following Rice's exit.

Moyes is undoubtedly a fan of his captain, previously praising the defender, telling Football London: "We are trying to challenge the top teams because I want to be right there at the top and those players can show they are good enough to play for the international teams. Kurt has played really really well for us. He’s been a colossus in the games he has played so his form will not go unnoticed."

If the former Chelsea man does depart, the latest Harry Maguire transfer news has indicated that West Ham could return for the out-of-favour Manchester United centre-back.

According to 90min, those at the London Stadium are still interested in the England international, despite a move in the summer collapsing after a £30m deal was agreed. West Ham know all about the defender's quality, too, given Maguire's record against West Ham, which has seen him end the day on the winning side eight times throughout his career.

The London club, of course, reinforced their defensive options in the summer window with the arrival of Konstantinos Mavropanos, but the exit of Zouma would leave them back to square one, and in need of yet another arrival within Moyes' defensive line. When the January transfer window does arrive, the Hammers will certainly be an interesting club to watch, especially if they suffer yet another high-profile exit.

How has Harry Maguire performed this season?

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.

Despite remaining out-of-favour, injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have seen Maguire thrown back into the Manchester United side at times this season. And he has, much to his credit, impressed at times, recently earning the praise of England teammate Marc Guehi, who told BBC Radio 5Live, via The York Press: “He is a top professional, a great guy to have around the camp, one of the leaders.

“I think people forget things very quickly, but he was Manchester United captain, someone who has played for England at many, many top competitions and has helped the team and the nation to get where they are today. So, let’s not forget what he has done in a hurry because he is definitely a top player and an even better person for sure.”

Newcastle: Howe must unleash "immense" £40m machine instead of Livramento today

Newcastle United will welcome Burnley to St. James' Park this afternoon with eyes on extending their winning run in the Premier League to three matches, having dismantled Sheffield United 8-0 last time out.

The Magpies, led by Eddie Howe, had endured a challenging start to the season after defeating Aston Villa 5-1 in the opener, losing three successive league matches, but have now responded emphatically.

The divisional feats are strengthened by a recent victory over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, while last week, Newcastle kicked off their Champions League campaign with a battling away draw against AC Milan at the San Siro.

With Burnley now awaiting, perhaps Howe might be inclined to unleash Tino Livramento once again, who dazzled against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday.

What position is Tino Livramento?

Livramento was signed from Southampton for an initial £32m in the summer, with the full-back joining to bolster the wide flanks and provide competition for the likes of Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, who usually start on either flank of the central defence.

While Saints suffered relegation from the Premier League last year, Livramento was unable to join the fight due to a long-term injury that restricted him to just two substitute appearances at the end of the season.

And joining the Magpies, he has had to bide his time for his maiden start, but took his opportunity with aplomb in midweek and produced a stunning performance from the defensive right channel, making eight tackles, winning 11 of his 18 contested duels and completing 93% of his passes, as per Sofascore.

In awe of his display against the treble winners, The Times' Henry Winter said this: "Tino Livramento man of the match imo. Superb in subduing Jack Grealish. Calm, concentrated, mobile, fearless."

While Trippier, who scored a hat-trick of assists against the Blades last Sunday, will be hoping for a return to the starting fold, Howe will surely be considering providing his 20-year-old starlet with the platform to continue what could be a meteoric rise.

Should Newcastle play Joelinton against Burnley?

One player who surely does warrant a return to the starting Premier League teamsheet is Joelinton, with the all-conquering midfielder missing the past two top-flight encounters with a knee injury but since returning to provide the decisive assist against the Citizens.

Signed from German side Hoffenheim for a formerly club-record £40m in 2019 as a striker, the Brazilian languished for years before a tactical tweak shifted him into a midfield role, where he now prospers as a resurgent member of this fast-rising Newcastle side.

Newcastle midfielder Joelinton.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 205 for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons, the top 14% for interceptions, the top 11% for blocks and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.

The £85k-per-week machine, who has been hailed as “immense” by journalist Josh Bunting, will bring the physicality and defence-crashing presence required to bypass the toughness of Burnley, who will also look to implement their own passing style on proceedings.

With Joelinton a robust and technically proficient cog at the centre of the St. James' Park pitch, such will be more than a little hard for Vincent Kompany's side, and as long as his fitness holds out, the 27-year-old must be unleashed to continue the promising run of form for the ambitious Toon.

Man United: Ten Hag’s ‘passenger’ was even worse than Onana vs Bayern

Manchester United's woes continued on Wednesday evening as Erik ten Hag's men kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 4-3 defeat away to German giants Bayern Munich, with reported summer target Harry Kane inevitably among the scorers for the home side on the night.

While there were positives to take from the performance for the former Ajax boss, the narrow margin of the scoreline did somewhat flatter the visitors, with Andre Onana's goal having been peppered throughout as the Bundesliga side had 19 shots in total.

How did Onana perform against Bayern?

It was a night to forget for United's summer signing, with the 27-year-old taking a leaf out of the David De Gea playbook by producing what can only be described as a "howler", as per journalist, Samuel Luckhurst, after failing to deal with Leroy Sane's rather innocuous effort midway through the first half.

That high-profile blunder appeared to shift the momentum in favour of Thomas Tuchel's men as Serge Gnabry then struck just minutes later, with the German having been afforded the freedom of the penalty area to slot home – in a similar vein to Danny Welbeck's weekend strike.

In Onana's defence, however, there was little that he could have done about Harry Kane's subsequent penalty nor Mathys Tel's late rocket, with the Cameroonian stopper at least recovering to make a handful of notable saves after the break.

Of course, the former Inter Milan man will need to sharpen up following a shaky start to his United career – having conceded three or more goals in each of the last three games – yet it is fair to say that he is hardly receiving support from those ahead of him, including the sluggish Christian Eriksen.

How did Eriksen play against Bayern?

The Dane's most notable contribution saw him harshly penalised for handball after compatriot Rasmus Hojlund had offered some hope with his first goal for the club, with the 31-year-old's former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Kane ruthlessly dispatching from the spot.

While that harsh penalty decision may have been little fault of Eriksen, the experienced playmaker had squandered possession prior to that with United high up the pitch which ultimately led to the conceding of a corner and the subsequent spot-kick.

Such woes in possession were evident throughout his limp showing as the £150k-per-week asset lost the ball on ten occasions from his 46 touches, having been dubbed a "passenger" by journalist Liam Canning in the centre of the park.

Christian Eriksen

As Canning also noted, both Eriksen and two-goal enigma, Casemiro were "overrun" in midfield after being dribbled past twice and five times, respectively, with the former also failing to win a single duel as a sign of his lack of physicality.

Perhaps most frustrating of all, however, was the one-time Brentford man's inability to find the back of the net in the early knockings of the game after firing an effort straight at Sven Ulreich, as he was simply 'not clinical enough' – according to Luckhurst for Manchester Evening News.

In truth, it was a night in which Eriksen simply 'got another chasing from another midfield', in the words of Luckhurst, with that evidenced by his dismal 5.6 match rating, as per Sofascore, a record that was by far the worst of any player for either side – including Onana (7.0).

While Ten Hag had little choice but to persist with the ageing maestro due to the club's mounting injury woes, the hope will be that changes will be made once both Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount are finally fit to feature.

As the aforementioned Canning stated, the Old Trafford outfit need that latter duo "up to speed as soon as possible" if the recent rut is to be improved upon.

Spurs: Pochettino’s £265k-p/w disaster duo have bled Levy dry

Despite prior reports that new Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was looking to move on a host of first-team assets following his appointment at N17, the window came and went with a number of the 'deadwood' having remained on the books.

The likes of Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg both stayed put despite claims that the north Londoners were open to offers for the experienced pair, while long-serving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is also yet to find a new home, after previously stating his desire to move elsewhere.

There may well be a sense of frustration that those departures did not occur, although the Lilywhites have at least since been able to shift two more figures who appeared to be surplus to requirements, with Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele – both of whom were signed during Mauricio Pochettino's time in charge – having joined Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Those long-awaited exits have brought to an end a tumultuous spell in the capital for the pair, with Spurs likely ruing the hefty investment that they made in the duo – with regard to both transfer fees and wages – over recent years.

How much did Sanchez cost Spurs?

In the case of Sanchez, the Colombian international was snapped up by Pochettino and co back in the summer of 2017, having caught the eye after playing his part in Ajax's run to the Europa League final during the previous season.

The promising talent had been acquired for what was a then club-record fee of around £42m, with the Lilywhites having been keen to provide greater depth in the centre-back ranks, behind the first-choice pairing of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

Davinson Sanchez

Six years on from that high-profile switch to England, the 54-cap dud has since moved on to Istanbul for a reported fee of just £12.8m, with that representing a stark decline for a player who has been branded "one of the worst players" to have ever played for the club, according to talkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara.

What did Sanchez earn at Spurs?

Having "had question marks hanging over him ever since he came in", according to pundit Noel Whelan, the 2022/23 campaign proved to be a particular low point for the centre-back as he was restricted to just eight Premier League starts in total.

The 6 foot 2 enigma's time at the club also reached its undoubted nadir during the 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth earlier this year, as he was brutally withdrawn by interim boss Cristian Stellini early in the second half, despite having only entered the fray midway through the opening period.

That error-strewn outing ultimately led to Sanchez being booed by his own support on the day, with there seemingly having been no turning back from such a disastrous day, hence the player's departure earlier this week.

Davinson Sanchez

In truth, it is fair to say that the one-time Atletico Nacional man – who made 207 appearances in total – did not warrant the £65k-per-week salary that he raked in after signing back in 2017, with that totalling up to roughly £20m in wages.

Such a sizeable outlay will no doubt sting for chairman Daniel Levy considering the defender's woes, with Whelan having perhaps best summarised just what a dismal signing Sanchez proved to be for the club:

"He’s been inconsistent, there are mistakes in him – very crucial mistakes which dictate the outcome of games."

It could be argued, however, that the addition of Ndombele proved to be even more of a transfer howler for both Pochettino and Levy, with the Frenchman having been a particularly costly mistake on reflection.

How much did Tottenham pay for Ndombele?

Despite having splashed out £60m on Richarlison last summer in order to prise the Brazilian from Everton, incredibly it is Ndombele who remains the club's record capture, having joined from Lyon on a £63m deal back in 2019.

As his recent loan switch to the Super Lig has indicated – a deal that includes an option to buy for the Istanbul outfit – the 26-year-old is no longer deemed a worthy squad asset for those at N17, having regularly flattered to deceive over the last four years or so.

While perhaps a victim of the sacking of Pochettino just a few months into his time in England, Ndombele didn't exactly do his best to try and win over the likes of Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo, notably being called a "disgrace" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher back in 2020 for his apparent lack of work ethic.

Although there had been whispers that Postecoglou was willing to give the player a fresh start during pre-season, the news of a temporary departure will not have come as a shock to most, with the midfield maestro having spent the past 18 months at both Lyon and Napoli after falling out of favour at his parent club.

While those recent exits have helped to cover the cost of the maverick's hefty wages, like Sanchez the Frenchman has also rather bled Tottenham dry after being unable to warrant the faith in his talent.

What does Ndombele earn at Tottenham?

After spending four years on the books at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the 5 foot 11 dud has thus far scored just ten goals and provided only nine assists in 91 games in all competitions, hardly proving worthy of his reported £200k-per-week wages.

Excluding the time he has since spent out on loan, Ndombele's first two-and-a-half seasons in north London reportedly costly Levy and co around £25m – as per FBref – with his total cost coming in at around £88m, when factoring in his transfer fee.

Add to that the £42m fee that was spent on Sanchez – as well as the centre-back's £20m in wages – and, as journalist Paul O'Keefe alluded to, the club have forked out in the region of £150m on the pair in total.

That is a truly mammoth, eye-watering figure, particularly for two men who have distinctly underwhelmed during their times at N17, with the hope being that it won't be too long before Ndombele joins Sanchez in making a permanent exit from the club.

For many of a Tottenham persuasion, it will likely be a case of good riddance to the pair of them.

محمد صلاح يوجه رسالة إلى كلوب بعد رحيله عن ليفربول

علّق نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، على رحيل المدير الفني يورجن كلوب عن النادي الإنجليزي بشكل رسمي مساء أمس الأحد.

وخاض ليفربول مباراته الأخيرة في موسم الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ضد ولفرهامبتون، حيث فاز بهدفين دون رد.

اقرأ أيضًا | آرني سلوت يحدد رباعي ليفربول لبناء مشروع المستقبل.. موقف محمد صلاح

وتُعد تلك المباراة هي الأخيرة لـ ليفربول تحت قيادة المدير الفني يورجن كلوب الذي قرر الرحيل بمجرد انتهاء الموسم.

من جانبه، كتب محمد صلاح عبر حسابه الشخصي بموقع إكس: “لقد كان من الرائع مشاركة كل تلك البطولات والخبرات معك على مدى السنوات السبع الماضية”.

وأضاف: “أتمنى لك حظًا سعيدًا في المستقبل، نأمل أن نلتقي مرة أخرى”.

ولفت محمد صلاح الأنظار إليه، الشهر الماضي، بعد مشادته القوية مع يورجن كلوب خلال مباراة ليفربول ووست هام في الدوري الإنجليزي.

وقرر كلوب الدفع بـ محمد صلاح في الدقيقة 81، كبديل، وهو ما لم ينل رضا المصري الذي أبدى سخطه الشديد تجاه مدربه وانفعل تجاهه على خط التماس.

وانضم محمد صلاح إلى ليفربول قادمًا من روما في صيف 2017، وساهم في تحقيق العديد من البطولات تحت قيادة كلوب، على رأسها الدوري الإنجليزي، دوري أبطال أوروبا، السوبر الأوروبي وكأس العالم للأندية، إلى جانب كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي وكأس الرابطة والدرع الخيرية.

Man Utd: Ten Hag Can Find Hojlund Alternative In £13m Gem

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has been backed during the summer transfer window so far as the club have brought in three significant additions.

Who have Manchester United signed this summer?

Mason Mount came through the door from Premier League rivals Chelsea to bolster the manager's options in midfield for a reported fee of £55m.

The Red Devils found their replacement for David de Gea by completing a £47.2m deal for Andre Onana from Champions League finalists Inter.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Ten Hag has also been able to bolster his forward line with the signing of Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for an initial £64m, which could rise to £72m.

They could dip back into the market again to land another number nine as they have been touted with an interest in Santos attacker Marcos Leonardo, who has reportedly been valued at €15m (£13m).

How good is Marcos Leonardo?

The Brazilian youngster is a terrific prospect whose form for his current club over the last 18 months suggests that he has the potential to be a lethal scorer for United in the long-term.

Ten Hag has already brought in a new striker to lead the line for the Premier League giants in Hojlund, who scored nine goals in 20 Serie A starts last term and has struck six goals in six games for his country.

However, the Denmark international was injured for the opening day clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers and this meant that Marcus Rashford, who predominantly plays on the left flank, was forced to start through the middle.

Bringing in another centre-forward, like Leonardo, would provide the Dutch tactician with an alternative to Hojlund, which could then prevent him from needing to move Rashford, or anyone else, out of their favoured positions to fill a gap.

The 20-year-old hotshot has produced 15 goals and four assists in 31 appearances for Santos in all competitions throughout 2023.

This comes after the talented ace managed 21 goals and six assists across 57 matches last year.

Brazil U20 striker Marcos Leonardo.

Leonardo has, therefore, been directly involved in 46 goals in 88 games since the start of 2022, which works out as a goal contribution every 1.91 outings on average.

Rashford, with one every 1.59 Premier League matches, was the only United player who was involved in a goal more than once every two games on average last season.

This suggests that Leonardo, who U23 scout Antonio Manga claimed has "frightening" speed, has the potential to be an excellent option for Ten Hag at the top end of the pitch if he is able to translate his form in Brazil over to England this season.

At the age of 20, the £13m-rated finisher would also come in as a long-term addition, instead of a short-term fix, and could improve over time to become an even better player for the club.

This could make him a similar signing to Hojlund, who is the same age, and that could result in United having two excellent number nine options to compete with each other over the years to come, which could put an end to any need for wingers or midfielders to fill in.

Dispirited Sri Lanka desperate to end 10-match rut

Match facts

October 19, 2017
Start time 1400 local (1100 GMT)

Big Picture

An ODI league structure beginning in 2019, approved by the ICC, came at a welcome time, especially considering the gulf in quality between teams currently. There would otherwise have been much soul-searching about relevance of ODI cricket these days, and whether series such as the ongoing one between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the UAE was the best exposition for the format.Anyone making that case would have a point. The three games played so far have not been of the greatest skill, with the lack of competitiveness, slowness of the pitches and empty stands. Add to that the fact that there’s not much left to play for, with Pakistan already having wrapped up the five-match series 3-0. You would need to be a particularly good salesman to get anyone excited for the remainder of the series.Still, there are points and ranking places at stake, and Pakistan have an ideal chance to extend their winning streak – currently standing at seven ODIs – to nine. Sri Lanka, having suffered ten straight ODI losses, will be keen not to go into their next tour with that run stretching to an unseemly dozen.For Pakistan, the young bowling attack continued to perform, so much so that Mohammad Amir’s absence has barely been noticed. Ahmed Shehzad was the only player struggling for form, and when he was dropped, debutant Imam-ul-Haq smashed a century. The final two games will be played in Sharjah, where Pakistan feel as at home as anywhere in Pakistan.It has been quite the opposite for Sri Lanka. Angelo Mathews’ all-round class appears sorely missed, batsmen can’t seem to read Pakistan’s spinners, and their bowlers lack penetration. Chamara Kapugedera was brought into the side for the third game, but now appears likely to miss the series, after a throw from the keeper struck him under the right eye, causing heavy swelling. It’s that sort of series for Sri Lanka.

Form guide

Sri Lanka LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WWWWW

In the spotlight

With Ahmed Shehzad’s woes in the first two games followed by Imam-ul-Haq’s heroics on Wednesday, Fakhar Zaman has been flying under the radar. On three occasions this series, he has reached double figures, but scores of 43, 11 and 29 suggest a failure to capitalise. In the recent series against the World XI in Lahore, Zaman had scores of 8, 21 and 27.Sri Lankan fans’ frustration has boiled over several times in a wretched 2017. After the third ODI, the brunt of their ire was directed at Dinesh Chandimal, whose 49-ball 19 sapped the momentum from the Sri Lankan innings. However, Upul Tharanga also slowed down after the opening partnership was broken, suggesting it was genuinely difficult to score in the middle overs. But Chandimal, who also unwisely burned his side’s review, has struggled this ODI series, with scores of 4, 2 and 19. As Sri Lanka’s most experienced batsman after Tharanga, his side need him to find form if they are to leave the UAE with a limited-overs win. Friday would be a good time to start.

Team news

Pakistan have been rocked by the announcement that Mohammad Hafeez, for the third time in three years, has been reported for a suspect action. He is still expected to play in what could be an unchanged XI.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt. and wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Rumman Raees, 9 Shadab Khan, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Junaid KhanSri Lanka made a statement by dropping Kusal Mendis for the third game. His replacement Kapugedera remains doubtful following a freak injury during the third ODI. That might see Mendis return to the side. If Kapugedera is fit, Siriwardana’s place in the team will be under pressure too following an indifferent series so far.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Niroshan Dickwella, (wk), 2 Upul Tharanga (capt), 3 Kusal Mendis/Chamara Kapugedera, 4 Lahiru Thirimanne, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Milinda Siriwardana, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Jeffrey Vandersay, 11 Lahiru Gamage

Pitch and conditions

The conditions in Sharjah may also present the side bowling second a problem with dew. Besides that, the pitch is unlikely to vary from the surfaces in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Stats and trivia

  • Imam-ul-Haq became just the second Pakistani batsman to score a hundred on ODI debut. Saleem Elahi struck an unbeaten 102 in 1995, also against Sri Lanka.
  • Sri Lanka have lost their last five ODIs against Pakistan in Sharjah. The last time they beat Pakistan in Sharjah was in 2002.

خاص | كاف يوجه تحذيرًا للاتحادات بشأن الملاعب المستضيفة للمباريات الإفريقية

أكد مصدر مسؤول بالاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم، أن كاف أبلغ جميع اتحادات كرة القدم بعدم إقامة أي مباريات على الملعب المستضيف للمباريات التي تقام تحت تنظيم الكاف بـ72 ساعة.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات لـ بطولات: “الاتحاد الإفريقي أرسل خلال الأيام الأخيرة خطابات لكل الاتحادات الأهلية يؤكد فيها على عدم السماح لأي اتحاد بإقامة مباريات على الملعب المستضيف للمباريات التي تقام تحت تنظيم الكاف بـ 72 ساعة”.

وأضاف: “شدد الكاف، بأن الملعب الذي يستضيف مباريات أفريقية لن تلعب مباريات محلية عليه قبل اللقاء بـ72 ساعة على أقل تقدير حفاظًا على جودة الأرضية”.

طالع أيضاً.. كاف يُصدر بيانًا رسميًا بشأن إلغاء مباراة نهضة بركان واتحاد العاصمة في الكونفدرالية

وفي سياق آخر أصدر الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف” بيانًا رسميًا، بشأن مباراة نهضة بركان المغربي واتحاد العاصمة الجزائري التي ألغُيت مساء أمس الأحد.

وكان من المقرر أن يتواجه فريق اتحاد العاصمة ونهضة بركان بالجزائر، ضمن مواجهات ذهاب دور نصف نهائي بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية للموسم الحالي 2024.

ورفض لاعبو الفريق المغربي خوض اللقاء بالإضافة إلي رفض مراقب المباراة لعدم سماح السلطات الجزائرية بارتداء نهضة بركان قميصه الأساسي الذي يخوض به مباريات البطولة منذ بدايتها.

Bayliss backs his squad but 2019 spots up for grabs

Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, has challenged the next generation of England players to stake a claim for a spot in the 2019 World Cup squad although he expects most of those who took part in the Champions Trophy to be around for that tournament.Bayliss has often spoken about the four-year plan to build to the 2019 World Cup, with the Champions Trophy seen as a stepping stone, but the manner of England’s one-sided exit against Pakistan will be a dent to the confidence of a team that had surfed a wave of run-scoring.Only two of the current squad are over 30 – Eoin Morgan and Liam Plunkett – and though there will be the natural fluctuations in form – as witnessed by Jason Roy over the last few weeks – and injuries will occur, Bayliss is keen to use the next two years to build experience.The first opportunity for new faces to have a taste of the international scene will be the three-match T20 series against South Africa with the squad including five uncapped players: Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, Tom Curran, Mason Crane and Craig Overton. The one-day series against West Indies which finishes England’s busiest ever home season could be another chance to assess the depth on offer.”I think we’d be remiss if we just said these 15 or 16 guys are going to go to the World Cup in two years’ time,” Bayliss said. “We’ve got to be sensible about it and if there is someone else who deserves to be in the team then we’ve got to look for that.”We’ve got the Test guys having a rest here so they’ll be able to play in the county match before the Test match which allows us to play some new guys and you never know, if one or two of them come up with the goods, they could find themselves in the team in two years.”We’ve come a long way in the last two years and, like the fans, we’d like to win every game we play in,” he added. “But the simple fact is we are still an improving side and getting to a state of play that we think we’re capable of, but these guys are mostly 26 or 27 so they should be around for another five or six years.”During the Champions Trophy, England only made two changes to their team. Adil Rashid was surprisingly left out of the opening match against Bangladesh, and then Roy’s lean run become too much to accommodate and he was replaced by Jonny Bairstow for the semi-final. Roy is part of the T20 squad to face South Africa and Bayliss had encouraging words for him.”I think you’ll see Roy at the top of the order a lot more for England. It was one of those situations where you’ve got one guy hoping to score runs and another guy who, when he comes in scores runs and is trying to prove a point, so there was a little bit of the negative-positive thing there. [Bairstow] batted reasonably again there, getting 40-odd.”Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jake Ball and Rashid have been left out of the T20 squad to enable them to play in the pink-ball round of County Championship matches at the end of the month. While Root, Moeen and Stokes are certain to feature in the Test side, it could mean that Ball and Rashid are also in the mix.Jonny Bairstow, the Test wicketkeeper, will miss the final T20 but Jos Buttler, who was part of England’s previous Test side against India in Chennai, is available for all three matches. Bayliss said it did not mean Buttler wasn’t in contention to retain his spot and he will go straight from the final T20 in Cardiff to Lancashire’s Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.”It is just he is so important to the T20 side,” Bayliss said. “We are giving a rest to the guys who are definitely in the Test team, but a lot of the guys will play in that third match and then back it up the next day in the pink-ball game and he is one of those.”England’s squad for the first Test against South Africa at Lord’s is due to be named after that round of Championship matches.

"Actually, I’m told…" – Transfer insider drops big Kane update at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is open to letting Harry Kane leave this summer should a club match the price he has in mind, according to Dean Jones.

A number of top European sides have interest in signing the English forward this summer, but the North London side have publicly maintained the stance that he is not for sale.

Will Harry Kane be at Tottenham Hotspur next season?

As it stands, Spurs are not planning on losing Kane this summer window.

That's according to the Times, who have stated that the club have offered their all-time record goalscorer a new deal worth an incredible £400k per week, which would make the England national team captain the joint highest-paid player in the division alongside Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City.

Tottenham Hotspur'sHarryKanecelebrates scoring their first goal

However, it seems that the striker wants to keep his options open during the window, and reportedly has no intention of signing the deal until the closure of the transfer window. This puts the club in a tricky situation as the forward only has 12 months remaining on his deal, and could leave for free next summer should no deal be agreed.

A number of sides are interested in the Spurs talisman, however German giants Bayern Munich remain the most interested. The club have launched multiple bids in an attempt to bring the striker to the Allianz Arena, with manager Thomas Tuchel reportedly having held talks personally with Kane in his own home in order to try and convince him to make the move from London to Munich.

Both offer have been rejected by Spurs, and according to journalist Jones, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, it would take a club record transfer fee from the Bavarian club to convince Levy to sell: "Daniel Levy has a real conundrum if Bayern commit to a bigger offer because this is his last chance to get big money for Kane and, at the same time, get him out of the country so that he can’t harm Spurs in the next couple of years. It’s probably the most intriguing part of this.

In a year’s time, he could end up at [Manchester] United or Chelsea or at another rival club on a free transfer, but if he joins Bayern now, he’s almost certain to stick with them for a couple of seasons while he collects his trophies. Now, that totally goes against everything briefed because Spurs are adamant still that Kane is not for sale — in England or abroad. But everyone is wondering if the businessman in Levy can genuinely stick to that line of thinking. And actually, I’m told there is a point at which he would listen to offers.

Here’s what I’ve heard: If Bayern make an overall offer that gets above and beyond £100m, then it would have to be considered. And when I say beyond, I’m talking £120m. So let’s face it — that is unlikely. Bayern are serious about trying to sign Kane and they have been given assurances that he is willing to do it. But can they actually get to the levels needed? It’s true Spurs are putting a new contract offer in front of Kane but, of course, there is no chance of him signing that at the moment."

Should Tottenham Hotspur sell Harry Kane?

It is an incredibly interesting dilemma that can be argued both ways.

Should Spurs let go of their talisman for a fee in the region of what Jones reported, those funds could help to fund the rebuild that the North London side is currently undertaking. They have already added keeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli and attacking midfielder James Maddison from Leicester City, whilst reports have linked the side with Bundesliga centre-back duo Micky Van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba. Spurs could use the money from Kane's departure to fund moves for both central defenders rather than having to choose one, and could also move to replace the England international with Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who they have been linked with.

dusan-vlahovic-juventus-tottenham-hotspur-transfer-gossip-postecoglou-maddison

However, should the club manage to convince their club legend to sign the new mega-money deal and commit his future to Spurs, new manager Ange Postecoglou would have arguably the best striker in the world on his hands, which would be a fantastic building block for the Australian as he looks to form his new-look team. Keeping Kane would also be a big help for keeping Spurs fans onside during potential transitional years, as they would appreciate the ambition shown to keep their home-grown star at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

It is one of the biggest decisions in recent Spurs history, and all parties will be hoping it gets solved soon.

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