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West Ham United are now keeping close tabs on a "world-class footballing talent" ahead of a potential January transfer swoop, according to a report.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

West Ham are in the market for a new defensive midfielder in the January transfer window, with Football Insider reporting they are keeping close tabs on Celta Vigo's Fran Beltran, who is regarded as a specialist at pressing and defending midfield spaces.

There were indications the Hammers could also move for an attacking midfielder, with former player Jesse Lingard training at the club since August, however they have now ended their interest, and the Englishman is eyeing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

In terms of potential defensive targets, it has now been reported that David Moyes could swoop for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande, but there may be stiff competition for his signature, with Arsenal also believed to be keen on the 19-year-old. Diomande is not the only player who West Ham and Arsenal share an interest in, with The Mirror reporting the two clubs could be set to go head-to-head for the signature of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele, and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen.

The winger only made his move to the Parc des Princes in the summer transfer window, but he has failed to find his feet in the French capital, after joining from Barcelona in a £50m deal, and there have been calls for him to be dropped from the starting XI.

Dembele has featured in all of PSG's last five matches, but he has so far failed to find the back of the net, meaning there is already speculation over his long-term future at the club, although he may be given a little while longer to prove himself.

The report states it is unlikely PSG would be willing to sanction a move so early into his career in France, but if he does become available, then the Hammers could make a move, with Moyes on the lookout for more attacking firepower in the January transfer window.

How good is Ousmane Dembele?

There are indications the France international could be a real upgrade for West Ham in attack, given that he has been lauded as a "world-class footballing talent", and a "magical creative winger who has few equals" by journalist Muhammad Butt.

The Vernon-born forward has experience playing for some of Europe's top clubs, namely Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and now PSG, and he put in some very solid performances for Barca last term, weighing in with five goals and seven assists in La Liga.

Not only that, but the former Dortmund man is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries, and the 96th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Dembele could help take West Ham to the next level, given the talent that he has at his disposal, and the Irons should continue to monitor his availability ahead of the January transfer window.

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board opted to bring Brendan Rodgers back for a second spell in the dugout this summer after Ange Postecoglou left to join Tottenham Hotspur.

The Northern Irish head coach had already enjoyed one spell at Parkhead between 2016 and 2019 and is now back with an opportunity to add more trophies to his collection.

He is following in the footsteps of his fellow countryman Neil Lennon, who also had multiple spells in charge of the Scottish giants and had great success.

How many trophies did Neil Lennon win for Celtic?

The 52-year-old head coach managed to hit double figures for trophies won across his two stints in Glasgow and proved himself to be a fantastic manager for the club.

Via Transfermarkt.

Lennon's work in the transfer market over the years played a part in his huge success at Parkhead as he was able to unearth a number of gems who went on to become stars for the Scottish outfit.

One player whom the Northern Irish tactician struck gold with was South Korean central midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, who he helped to thrive in Glasgow after Tony Mowbray had signed him in 2009.

How much did Celtic pay for Ki Sung-yueng?

The Hoops reportedly splashed out £2m to secure his services from FC Seoul in the summer of 2009 and he eventually linked up with his new team in January of 2010 after the end of his side's K League season in December 2009.

He arrived at Celtic after an impressive campaign with his former club in the South Korean top-flight. Ki racked up three goals and nine assists across 27 K League outings, including one K League Championship clash, as he showcased his ability to chip in with goal contributions from a central midfield position.

That came after the talented youngster had produced four goals and one assist in 21 league appearances for FC Seoul throughout the 2008 season.

The creative maestro, who had made his debut for South Korea at international level in 2008, caught Celtic and Mowbray's eye in 2009 as his excellent performances in midfield convinced them to spend £2m on his services.

Lennon then made the most of Ki's talents after he arrived to replace Mowbray in March of 2010, just over two months into the former FC Seuol star's arrival.

How many goals did Ki score for Celtic?

The central midfielder ended up with 11 goals and 15 assists in 87 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions during a two-and-a-half-year spell in Glasgow.

Ki struggled to find his feet from an attacking perspective over his first six months in Scotland as the talented whiz produced zero goals and two assists in ten Scottish Premiership outings in the second half of the 2009/10 campaign.

The South Korean dynamo started to hit his stride throughout the 2010/11 season as he ended the term with four goals and six assists in 35 games, which included three goals and four assists in 26 league matches.

His best campaign, in terms of his contribution at the top end of the pitch, came in his final year at Parkhead. Ki fired in six goals and assisted six for his teammates over 30 league clashes, and was directly involved in 14 goals in all competitions.

This means that Ki contributed with a goal or an assist every 2.5 Premiership games on average throughout the 2011/12 season, which shows that he was able to make a significant impact in the final third on a semi-regular basis from a central, and sometimes defensive, midfield position.

How much did Celtic sell Ki for?

His impressive form for Celtic led to interest from south of the border and Premier League side Swansea eventually snapped him up for a reported fee of £6m in 2012, which broke their transfer record at the time.

The creative gem, who was 23 at the time, made the move to Wales off the back of winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics with South Korea.

The £6m figure that the Hoops received for his services meant that the club made a whopping 200% profit on the initial £2m that they paid FC Seoul for his signature, which shows that Lennon unearthed a gem for the club as he helped the midfielder to progress and improve his attacking output over their two years or so together.

In 2011, the Northern Irish boss lavished Ki with praise as he described the central midfielder as a "wonderful" modern-day midfielder who could be a real asset for the Bhoys.

That turned out to be true as his market value soared from £2m to £6m and earned the Scottish giants a nice payday upon his exit in 2012.

Where is Ki now?

Ki is currently back with FC Seoul in South Korea at the age of 34 and has enjoyed a strong year with the club throughout the 2023 season.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.17 across 27 matches, which is the highest-score within the squad of any outfield player, and contributed with four assists and seven 'big chances' created from central midfield.

His experience has allowed him to become a consistent performer in the middle of the park as the former Celtic star averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 in the K League 1 across both the 2021 and 2022 seasons for Seoul.

The creative ace returned to his home country in 2020 after just shy of eight years in England with Swansea, Sunderland, and Newcastle United combined.

Ki produced 15 goals and 11 assists in 187 Premier League appearances during his time south of the border, which included an impressive eight goals in 33 league matches for Swansea during the 2014/15 campaign.

Overall, the 110-cap South Korea international has enjoyed an excellent career across three different countries and showcased his attacking qualities from midfield in Scotland, England, and his own country.

Lennon played a vital part in his development as the Northern Irish boss helped him to thrive at Parkhead and, in turn, earn a move to the Premier League, which also resulted in the Hoops making a profit on the talented gem.

أعلن نادي ريال مدريد الإسباني عن قائمة الفريق المستدعاة لنهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا 2024.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد مع بوروسيا دورتموند الألماني يوم السبت المقبل الموافق 1 يونيو في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وكان ريال مدريد تأهل على حساب بايرن ميونخ الألماني، ونجح بوروسيا دورتموند في إقصاء باريس سان جيرمان.

وشهدت قائمة ريال مدريد تواجد أوريلين تشواميني وحارس المرمى لونين وديفيد ألابا رغم الإصابة.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيلينجهام قبل نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا: أتمنى كتابة اسمي في تاريخ ريال مدريد قائمة ريال مدريد لمباراة بوروسيا دورتموند 

حراسة المرمى: تيبو كورتوا، لونين، كيبا، فران.

خط الدفاع: داني كارفاخال، ناتشو، ميليتاو، ألابا، لوكاس فاسكيز، فران جارسيا، أنطونيو روديجر، فيرلاند ميندي.

خط الوسط: توني كروس، لوكا مودريتش، جود بيلينجهام، كامافينجا، فالفيردي، تشواميني، داني سيبايوس، أردا جولر، ماريو مارتن.

خط الهجوم: فينيسيوس جونيور، رودريجو، خوسيلو، إبراهيم دياز.

The Delhi coach has said his players were fired up by the Bengal captain needling them about conceding the first-innings lead in their last meeting in 2015

Arun Venugopal in Pune19-Dec-2017

Delhi coach KP Bhaskar has said his players were fired up ahead of their Ranji Trophy semi-final as a result of comments from Manoj Tiwary, the Bengal captain. On the eve of the match, Tiwary had brought up the fractious 2015 meeting between the two sides, in which Bengal had taken the first-innings lead. It was also the match that saw Tiwary and Gautam Gambhir get into a heated exchange on the field.”Delhi would not have forgotten that we had taken the first-innings lead against them in 2015,” Tiwary had said. “And if they have forgotten that, we will remind them on the field from tomorrow.”Before the semi-final, Bengal had been getting the better of Delhi in recent meetings, taking the first-innings lead four times in five matches and winning the other one outright. On Tuesday, Delhi broke that run of results, bowling Bengal out for 86 in their second innings to wrap up victory by an innings and 26 runs.Speaking to the media after the match, Bhaskar said Tiwary’s comments had been needless, and also questioned Bengal’s tactics.”It was uncalled for,” Bhaskar said. “I thought they were probably overconfident, getting 850 [695 for 6] against Gujarat. How can you go with four bowlers against a side like Delhi with Gautam and some of the youngsters around? Probably that means they were relying more on their batting.”Tiwary, though, remained defiant and reasoned that a bit of chatter was necessary.”We did remind them [about Delhi having conceded the lead],” he said. “There is no two ways about it. I haven’t said that we we were going to beat them hands down. Let them say whatever they want to. It’s our fault and we didn’t capitalise on the start we got. Obviously we have to disturb the batsmen in the middle. But we have to give credit to their openers who played really well. But that’s the way the game goes.”On Bengal’s capitulation in the second innings, Tiwary said the batsmen lacked “a little bit of skill, a little bit of determination and mental strength.””In a game, there are periods where the time comes where you have to be mentally prepared and determined, which we didn’t do,” he said. “But I am proud of them and credit to them for doing well all season. It’s a time where people want quick results but we need to give time. There were 15 centuries in the season which something Bengal isn’t used to. We are producing [quality] players as well.”Bhaskar said he didn’t expect the match to finish so early, and reiterated his surprise at Bengal’s decision to bat first on what he felt was a damp pitch. He was also effusive in his praise for his young team.”Guys like Kunal Chandela have been a revelation,” he said. “Vikas Tokas played a gritty innings today along with Himmat Singh. Tokas has a slight hamstring tear, but he should recover [ahead of the final]. He bowled his heart out today.”

Television footage appeared to show James Anderson digging his fingernail into the ball on a rain-affected fourth day of the fourth Test at Melbourne

Andrew Miller29-Dec-2017Trevor Bayliss, England’s coach, dismissed media allegations of ball-tampering as mere “pommie-bashing” after television footage appeared to show James Anderson digging his fingernail into the ball on a rain-affected fourth day of the fourth Test in Melbourne.The incident was picked up by Australia’s Channel Nine commentary team early in Australia’s second innings, and circulated widely among the local media, including the news arm of Cricket Australia’s official website.”I’m not sure you are allowed to use your fingernail there,” Shane Warne said during the live coverage. His co-commentator, Michael Slater, added: “That’s interesting, you can’t get your nail into the ball. That’s a no-no.” Mike Hussey, another former Australia cricketer working for the outlet, predicted that Anderson might be asked to explain his actions to the match referee, Ranjan Madugalle. However, an ICC spokesman later confirmed that no action would be taken.The England management took issue with the tone of the initial reports, and the use of the word “ball tampering” was removed from some headlines, with Fox Sports later apologising to the team for their interpretation of the story.The fact that Anderson’s fingernail appeared to be working on the shiny side of the ball rather undermined the allegations that he was seeking to adversely alter its condition, as Bayliss pointed out while dismissing the story as a “beat-up” [made-up] when he spoke to the media at the close of play.”As soon as I saw it during the rain break, I went to the umpires to find out what was going on,” Bayliss told BT Sport. “And in their words it was a beat-up. You’re allowed to clean the ball and that’s what we were doing. There was no problem at all, they said.”However, on a tour that has already featured head-butts, beer throwing, matchfixing allegations and a sledging row, a ball-tampering rumpus was the missing incident on the series bingo card.”We’ve had a good couple of days and there was no too much positive press for them, so it was a bit of pommie-bashing I suppose,” said Bayliss. “But we are used to that. We knew when we came out it was going to be 24 million versus 11, and we just have to laugh it off.”An England spokesman confirmed that Anderson had been legitimately pushing down a loose bit of leather, in full view of the umpires, using the back of his fingernail so as to avoid transferring any moisture from his fingertips.An ICC spokesman later added that no report had been issued by the umpires. However, both sides were spoken to about the tactic of scuffing the ball on the wicket ends when throwing it in from the outfield, a tactic that is commonly used by most international teams when attempting to hasten the onset of reverse swing.”It has been both teams,” said Bayliss. “To get the ball to go reverse, one side has to be rough, the other smooth and dry, so all teams around the world try to get it reversing as soon as possible. The umpires don’t want it to be too over the top, so a quiet word to both captains soon stops it.”The incident had echoes of a similar flare-up in Australia’s 2016-17 home season, when South Africa’s Faf du Plessis was caught on camera sucking a sweet and rubbing saliva on the ball. On that occasion he was found guilty by an ICC hearing and fined his match fee.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel this summer as Unai Emery eyes further reinforcements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Spaniard has had a strong transfer window so far, recruiting Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres to cement the spine of his squad at Villa Park.

Having already dipped in the transfer pool in LaLiga earlier in the summer to secure Torres, the four-time Europa League winner could approach his homeland once more.

Could Aston Villa sign Gonzalo Montiel?

As reported in Spain (as relayed by Sport Witness), Villa have made contact with Emery’s former club in the hope to strike a deal for Montiel.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

It’s speculated that the Villans have made ‘simple contacts’ for the right-back, whom Monchi signed for the Spaniard during his time at the club.

It’s also believed that the defender is ‘unhappy’ at the LaLiga outfit, bolstering Villa’s chances of capturing the 26-year-old dynamo, who is currently valued around €12m (£10m).

How good is Gonzalo Montiel?

The Argentine had a season to remember last term, winning dazzling prizes both domestically and internationally in securing a Europa League and World Cup medal for his efforts in both squads.

Deployed at right-back, Montiel was captured by Monchi in 2021 from his boyhood club River Plate, in which he worked his way up the ranks to secure a move to Europe.

After just two years in Spain, the defender could be on the move again, with Emery eyeing his talent from the Midlands in a move that could bolster his squad ahead of the dawning Premier League campaign.

The 26-year-old is a figure well known to some in the region, with Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui branding his former player as an “animal” during his time in charge of Sevilla.

A lively full-back, the Argentine could be the perfect presence for Emery to integrate into his side at Villa Park, particularly following his moves made earlier this window.

The arrival of Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen was that of a marquee signing in a club-record deal worth £51.9m, and while his talent is unquestionable, the Frenchman could have his form bolstered in the arrival of Montiel.

Identified as being a defender ‘very active in transition’ by scouting site Target Scouting, the right-back could mirror the success of other wide defenders in the league that have assumed the inverted role to the benefit of the attack.

Diaby could have the stability of a competent defender behind him as well as a strong presence in progressive play to support his offensive exploits on the flank.

As per FBref, the Argentine averaged in the top 11% of full-backs in LaLiga in terms of assists last season, averaging 0.18 per 90 as well as recording an average of 1.18 key passes per 90 to showcase his proficiency in the final third.

Once lauded as “electrifying” by journalist Aaron Stokes, Diaby could be the ideal partner on the flank for Montiel to align with at Villa Park, in a talent clued-up on the importance of going forward from deep.

Also highlighted by Target Scouting as being a defender with the ability to make a ‘good run’ to lure the opposition, the 26-year-old could entice the Frenchman to unlock further areas to his game as an additional target aside from those deployed in attack.

Emery could gift the Argentine with an escape route from Sevilla in making a swoop this summer, in a move that could benefit all parties.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to make an imminent offer to sign Montpellier star Elye Wahi as Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou target new strikers.

Who will Tottenham sign?

The north Londoners have made just three major signings so far, not including permanent deals for both right-wing-back Pedro Porro and forward Dejan Kulusevski.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, England midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon have all officially put pen to paper on moves to Spurs whilst making their debuts in pre-season.

Weeks remain of this year's summer transfer window but reliable media sources suggest that there could be a few more additions at Tottenham, with chairman Daniel Levy on the lookout for centre-backs, a midfielder to replace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (if he leaves for Atletico) and a potential new striker.

The Harry Kane situation is one currently dominating the headlines in north London, as Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain and league rivals Man United take a serious interest in him.

Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, admitted he certainly isn't comfortable with the ongoing saga.

"Fair to say I am not relaxed about it," said the Australian.

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club."

As such, Tottenham have reportedly been making contingency plans for if the 29-year-old does leave, with Juve's Dusan Vlahovic and Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani among the strikers recently linked.

Now, according to French news website Midi Libre, as translated by Sport Witness, a Tottenham offer for Montpellier forward Wahi could be in the offing.

Chelsea's latest bid to sign the player wasn't enough, as per Montpellier president Laurent Nicollin, with Midi Libre sharing that message and dropping an interesting line of their own.

Spurs are mentioned as an interested party with more offers for Wahi expected to arrive "in the near future", where the Lilywhites are named, and it's stated they could make an imminent bid.

There isn't much detail given on the nature of this proposed offer, but it appears a Tottenham approach is expected in France.

How good is Elye Wahi?

Scoring 19 goals and assisting five others in 33 Ligue 1 appearances last term, there is little denying Wahi was Montpellier's star player going forward.

The 20-year-old, who can play both as an attacking midfielder and wide forward, is also an intriguing versatile option for Postecoglou with plenty of shelf life yet given his age.

Journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos, taking to Twitter, heaped praise on Wahi for his potential and says he is a "real beast" in the final third.

"Elye Wahi (2003). If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season," said Ramos.

"A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode."

كشف توفيق قريشي المدير الرياضي لنادي اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري، عن تفاصيل أزمة مباراة نهضة بركان المغربي، في ذهاب نصف نهائي بطولة الكونفدرالية.

وكانت مباراة اتحاد العاصمة ونهضة بركان قد شهدت أزمة، بسبب قميص الفريق المغربي، أدت إلى إلغاء المباراة.

طالع | بسبب أزمة القمصان.. إلغاء مباراة اتحاد العاصمة ونهضة بركان في نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية

ونقلت صحيفة النهار الجزائرية تصريحات قريشي عبر التلفزيون الرسمي الجزائري، والذي أكد خلالها اللجوء إلى محكمة التحكيم الرياضي “طاس”.

وقال توفيق قريشي: “القانون واضح وفيفا يرفض وضع خرائط على أقمصة الفرق”.

وأضاف: “اندهشنا من قرار الاتحاد الإفريقي (كاف)، ولا نعلم إذا كانت تلك المنظمة تابعة لـ فيفا أم ماذا”.

وتابع: “على كل حال نحن جاهزون وننتظر قرار حكم المباراة، وحال عدم لعب اللقاء سيكون لدينا 10 أيام للطعن في الطاس، وجلب حق اتحاد العاصمة بشكل خاص والجمهورية الجزائرية الشعبية بشكل عام”.

فيديو وصور | نهضة بركان يغادر ملعب مباراة اتحاد العاصمة بالكونفدرالية بعد إلغائها

وختم قريشي: “كاف فقط هو من أعطى الحق للنادي المغربي”.

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم قد قرر إلغاء المباراة، رافضًا لعب فريق نهضة بركان بالقمصان المصنوعة عن طريق مسؤولي اتحاد العاصمة، كما سيصدر حكمه في الأزمة في وقت لاحق.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez is 'open-minded' over his future this summer as speculation continues to grow over whether he will stay or leave, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Emi Martinez leaving Aston Villa?

According to talkSPORT last month, Martinez is on Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino's radar this summer, as the outlet stated on their Twitter account: "BREAKING: CFC are open to offers for both Kepa Arrizabalaga & Edouard Mendy. Mauricio Pochettino wants to bring in a new number one with Inter Milan's Andre Onana and AVFC’s Emi Martinez on his radar. – talkSPORT sources understand."

Manchester United were said to be readying an offer for Martinez as a potential replacement for David De Gea and had been impressed by his 'elite mentality' and performances across the last three years, as per Football Insider.

Nevertheless, the Red Devils look to have turned their attention towards Inter Milan stopper Andre Onana and have reached a verbal agreement to sanction a deal for the Cameroon international. Journalist Rudy Galetti also revealed his news on Twitter, saying: “Andre Onana, the details: Man Utd and Inter already reached a verbal agreement about the transfer fee: £42m+£5m add-ons; new contacts expected in the next 24/48h to discuss the details and complete the move. The Cameroon GK is ready to join MUFC.”

Last term, Argentina international Martinez enjoyed a productive season for Aston Villa, keeping 13 clean sheets in 37 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Capology understand that the former Arsenal stopper earns around £120,000 per week on a contract that runs until June 2027.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Aston Villa could be tempted to cash in on Martinez in light of his exploits at the World Cup with his native Argentina.

Jones stated: "I don't think Martinez has been desperate to leave Aston Villa. I think it's more that he's open-minded about if the possibilities are going to come for him in his career, then it might come down at a time when he is a World Cup winner and there might have been a temptation for Aston Villa to cash at a moment like that, because of what his value would be on the market."

What else has happened or could happen at Aston Villa this window?

Aston Villa have been hard at work this summer as they prepare for Europa Conference League involvement in 2023/24 and Unai Emery has already brought in two players in the form of Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres from Leicester City and Villarreal, respectively.

L'Equipe via The Daily Express claim that more arrivals could be on the way, stating that the Villans have submitted an 'opening proposal' to Bayer Leverkusen in an attempt to bring France international Moussa Diaby to Villa Park.

One report in Spain has suggested that Joao Felix is on the radar of Aston Villa; however, he is not keen to join a club that aren't involved in the Champions League, making a move to Paris Saint-Germain a more appealing transfer for the Portugal international.

Emery will surely have a few more tricks left up his sleeve as the Spaniard looks to work his magic once again this season and tries to help his side rise up the Premier League standings.

Samit Patel has marked his benefit match at Trent Bridge on Thursday by defending his fitness record and questioning the emphasis on athleticism rather than skills

David Hopps09-May-2017Samit Patel has marked his benefit match at Trent Bridge on Thursday by defending his fitness record and questioning the emphasis on athleticism rather than skills.Patel accepts that it is now only an “outside chance” that he will add to his 60 caps for England across all formats but insists that he has been “pretty hard done by.”There is little evidence that Patel warranted consideration for England’s Champions Trophy squad – he has passed 50 only three times in his last 13 50-over innings – but, as he prepares to face Durham, resentment still lingers at his missed opportunities.Patel, who made his comments in a podcast, said: “I’ve not missed a game ever, so define fitness. I’ve never missed one game for England or Notts. It all comes down to sports science. They forgot about the skills base.”It’s funny how no one mentions fitness issues with me now. It’s funny how that’s all gone even though the game is getting quicker and better. I look better, I feel better, I’m playing better. You have to be quicker, you have to be faster. It’s something you have to do.”Patel last played for England against Pakistan in November 2015, although he did tour South Africa later that winter without being selected. He has since lost out primarily to Moeen Ali as a spin-bowling allrounder. His England career has closed with him feeling he did not bat high up the order often enough.”I’d like, as an outside chance, another game for England,” he said. “That’s what I’d like. Absolutely I should have played more for England, not just on talent, but stats.”Patel still has Nottinghamshire records in range, specifically Paul Johnson’s current List A record of 4950 runs. Chris Read is poised to overhaul that, but he will retire in September.Patel, who has 4483, says he wants 10,000 and plans to play until he is 40. Fitness allowing of course. He is a crowd-pleasing figure at Trent Bridge, and such ambitions will be welcomed by Nottinghamshire’s supporters.And when it is all over, it seems he is unlikely to go into coaching. “I’ve not been coached by anyone. It’s all been natural. No one should be coached. You should have your own method and stick by it, unless something drastic needs changing. Even at 19 you know how you need to play.”