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The second day of England’s first warm-up match was washed out

AAP24-Nov-2021Experts are warning to expect more than the usual afternoon thunderstorm in Brisbane as rare weather patterns threaten to spoil the Ashes build-up for both Australia and England and the first Test itself.Play was abandoned without a ball bowled on day two of the England vs England Lions three-day game at Peter Burge Oval in the coastal suburb of Wellington Point on Wednesday.Only 29 overs were possible on Tuesday, with openers Rory Burns (39 not out) and Haseeb Hameed (53 not out) untroubled in taking England to 0 for 98. About 90mm of rain fell between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning and there is an expectation of more to come that could see day three washed out as well.England only have one more tour match scheduled before the December 8 Ashes opener at the Gabba, with star allrounder Ben Stokes desperate for time in the middle after nearly five months out of the game to prioritise his mental health.Australia’s Test hopefuls are set to battle for the final spots in the Test XI at Peter Burge Oval in a three-day intra-squad match from Wednesday next week.Ominously, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) meteorologist Helen Reid said “very wet thunderstorms” were forecast until at least Sunday, while the La Nina weather pattern will ensure a more humid environment brings “more rain days and higher amounts of rain”.”You can’t set your clock to the 3pm Brisbane thunderstorm anymore; they’re coming morning, day and night,” Ms Reid told AAP in a nod to the fierce but brief afternoon storms that have often impacted Gabba Tests. “It’s already soggy and it’ll stay soggy for the next couple of days. This amount of rain is uncommon and that’s why we’ve noticed this La Nina business.”The prospect of no play in Australia’s intra-squad game doesn’t help wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s cause as he attempts to prove his fitness and hold his place, despite the recent text message scandal that resulted in him stepping down as captain.It would also deny selectors one last chance to observe batsmen Usman Khawaja and Travis Head, who are vying to occupy the No.5 spot.The Test itself could also be plagued by uncharacteristically persistent rain but Australia opener Marcus Harris is seeing the lighter side.”I saw somewhere that someone said Jimmy Anderson brought the rain with him. He’s definitely done that,” he said. “[But] this time last year, with the way COVID was, I’d only played a couple of Shield games then I was in the Test squad.”It’s been tough for us guys from Victoria and NSW to get the amount of cricket in, but having played a full winter of county cricket, a few Shield games – I’ve definitely played plenty of cricket so I’ll be ready to go.”

All signs apparently point towards an illustrious player joining Arsenal, with his club scheduling talks over a new contract in an attempt to keep their star.

Arsenal's rumoured transfer plans for 2025

The Gunners’ succession of injury worries during the early stages of this season have perhaps emphasised the need for back-up options in key areas of the squad.

Arsenal internally debating deal for "exciting" ace who Arteta's identified

He’s “being eyed” by the Spaniard.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 25, 2024

Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Takhehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kai Havertz, Kieran Tierney and Riccardo Calafiori have all suffered injuries at various points, with manager Mikel Arteta handed real selection headaches lately.

There are a few major doubts ahead of their blockbuster Premier League clash at home to title rivals Liverpool this weekend, including the likes of Saka and Calafiori, while it remains to be seen when club captain Odegaard will be available for selection following his ankle ligament injury last month.

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

In light of these concerns, it is believed by some that Arsenal could take to the transfer market in an attempt to sign alternatives to star players. Sporting director Edu Gaspar and the Gunners recruitment team reportedly want a rotational option who can come in for Saka, with Arsenal eyeing a January move for Bryan Mbeumo after his excellent start to the season for Brentford.

Meanwhile, Calafiori’s injury and William Saliba’s red card, not to mention another problem for Tomiyasu, has exposed Arsenal’s lack of central defensive quality behind their traditional mainstay starters.

Some reports have claimed that Arsenal are prepared to bid for £42 million Isak Hien, who has impressed during the early stages of this season for Atalanta. The search for a striker remains ongoing as well, following Arteta and Edu’s widely reported failed summer attempt to strike a deal for RB Leipzig sensation Benjamin Sesko.

A fair few centre-forwards have been linked since then, despite Kai Havertz proving reliable in his makeshift striker role. According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato this week, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is a target for the club ahead of 2025.

Juventus attempting new Vlahovic contract as Arsenal circle

The Italian news outlet writes that Juve’s striker and the Old Lady are set for more new contract talks before the end of the year, as the Serie A giants are keen to try and iron out a long-term agreement.

Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli wants to spread out his £192,000-per-week salary over several seasons, as Juve are struggling to meet his wage demands right now. Vlahovic, who’s scored seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions so far, is free to leave in 2026 as things stand.

Calciomercato claim that Vlahovic’s path leads “mainly to England and Arsenal”, if the Serbia international cannot agree terms on an extension. His agent, Darko Ristic, was recently spotted in Turin – which has only fueled speculation over Vlahovic’s future.

Kent have won the LV= Insurance County Championship Division Three title after a morning of high drama at Canterbury, where they beat Middlesex by two wickets.Kent finished on 375 for 8, but they were in trouble early after Toby Roland-Jones brilliantly ran out Tawanda Muyeye for 89.They also lost Darren Stevens for 14, before Marcus O’Riordan and Grant Stewart revived them with a stand of 48 and Matt Milnes hit the winning runs.Kent began the fourth day on 275 for 5, needing another 98 to win and as the batsmen walked out a member in the Knott-Underwood stand yelled: “You were seeing it like a football yesterday TS, good luck,” at Muyeye.Middlesex had dragged themselves back into a game that had been drifting away from them when Tim Murtagh had dismissed centurion Ollie Robinson with the final ball on day three. But Kent made steady progress at the start and added 20 runs before Muyeye chased a single and was halfway down the pitch when he was sent back by Stevens and run out by a direct hit from Roland-Jones, who had barely a stump to aim at.A visibly distraught Muyeye trudged back to the pavilion and Stevens was then caught by a diving Sam Robson at second slip, after edging Roland-Jones.At that point Kent were 310 for 7 but O’Riordan and Stewart took them to within 16 of victory when the former edged Martin Andersson for 26 and was caught at second slip by Robson.As the tension mounted, Kent scrambled a single and a shy at the stumps went for four overthrows. Stewart survived a loud appeal for caught behind off Andersson and hit the next ball for four to reduce the target to two.Kent secured the title when Milnes steered Roland-Jones to third man, giving them 19 points and Middlesex three, leaving the visitors as runners-up.

Inter Miami's Uruguayan forward addressed a potential reunion amid links to the Brazilian at MLS Media Day

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• Inter Miami have been linked with potential move for Neymar
• Brazil star out of contract in six months
• Suarez says reunion would be 'exciting', Javier Mascherano insisted MLS salary cap makes move "impossible"
• Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  MIAMI – Inter Miami star Luis Suarez addressed a potential reunion with former Barcelona teammate Neymar, saying at MLS Media Day on Thursday that it "makes you excited to have a player like him and the quality he can bring to the team."

  The comments come amid links to the Brazil star is out-of-contract at Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in six months. Neymar revealed to CNN Sport earlier this week that he is open to playing with Suarez and Lionel Messi again, but that he is an Al-Hilal player at the moment, and is happy in Saudi Arabia.

  “Obviously, playing again with Messi and Suarez would be incredible," the 32-year-old said. "They are my friends. We still speak to each other. It would be interesting to revive this trio. I’m happy at Al-Hilal, I’m happy in Saudi Arabia, but who knows. Football is full of surprises."

  Suarez told reporters he would love to play with his former teammate again, but that nothing is certain.

  "Everyone knows what Neymar is as a player, what we generated, the era we were together, today we are in another era, much older than we were at that time," Suarez said. "Well, as he and everyone else said, anything can happen, but well, these are expectations and illusions that can be generated, but to make them concrete is difficult."

  Manager Javier Mascherano insisted that a move for the player is impossible due to MLS salary cap rules.

  "We cannot talk about Ney because we have nothing. Obviously, Ney is a great player. Everyone or every coach in the world wants him, but at the moment, you know the MLS rules about the salary cap. For us, in this moment, it's impossible," he said.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Neymar and Suarez played together at Barcelona from 2014 through 2017, forming the famed "MSN" trio with Messi up top in their front-three formation. During that stretch, the trio scored a stunning 364 goals across all competitions, creating one of soccer's most dynamic attacks. Alongside Neymar, Suarez recorded 180 goal-contributions while the Brazilian added 138, and Messi with a staggering 219.

  Since the Uruguayan's move to South Beach at the start of the 2024 MLS season, Suarez helped Miami to the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield while being a finalist for MLS MVP and MLS Newcomer of the Year. His debut campaign saw him score 20 goals and record nine assists across 27 regular season matches.

  Neymar, meanwhile, has struggled to stay healthy since his move to Saudi Arabia in 2023. The Brazilian tore his ACL on international duty just months after his arrival, being sidelined for 330 days with the Saudi side before returning this past fall – only to fall victim to a hamstring injury in November, 2024.

  His contract expires in June 2025.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Neymar has made just seven appearances across all competitions for Al-Hilal since his blockbuster move to the Saudi Kingdom in 2023. In total, he's played just 428 minutes of soccer for the club since signing his two-year contract worth a reported $300M.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  With MLS preseason set to begin shortly, the are getting ready to prepare for the 2025 campaign. They take on Liga MX side Club America on Jan. 18 as part of their preparation.

The last couple of years have been a dream for Aston Villa football club, especially considering the precarious position they found themselves in just a couple of years ago.

They only secured survival on the final day of the 2019/20 season away at West Ham United, with the club undergoing a huge overhaul in recent years.

Significant investment into the playing squad has allowed for a huge turnaround, with Unai Emery’s side qualifying for the Champions League during the 2023/24 campaign after finishing in the Premier League’s top four.

Emery has been the man at the helm for their recent success, providing the supporters with memories to last a lifetime – with European football a distant dream before his arrival in November 2022.

He’s formed a fantastic squad with the help of President of Football Operations Monchi, with the pair working together to form a squad without one of the club’s most high-profile academy graduates.

Jack Grealish’s time at Aston Villa

After joining the club as a six-year-old, Jack Grealish rapidly developed through the club’s academy setup, before making his first-team debut back in 2014 following a successful loan spell at Notts County, where he registered 12 goal involvements in 39 games.

The forward is the definition of a modern-day club legend, staying at the club after relegation from the Premier League in 2016, and becoming a spearhead in the squad that eventually claimed promotion three years later.

He was named as club captain during the promotion-winning campaign, producing numerous moments of magic – including against bitter rivals Birmingham City after he was attacked by a supporter.

It was fitting that Grealish scored the goal to keep Villa in the Premier League back in 2020, with the boyhood fan going on to join Manchester City in a record-breaking deal 12 months later, departing Villa Park with 213 appearances to his name.

The attacker joined Pep Guardiola’s side in a £100m deal – the most expensive transfer for an English player at the time, before Declan Rice's £105m move to Arsenal last summer.

1. Jack Grealish

2021/22

£100m

2. Moussa Diaby

2024/25

£50.5m

3. Douglas Luiz

2024/25

£43.3m

4. Christian Benteke

2015/16

£39m

5. Stewart Downing

2011/12

£19.2m

Whilst it was a big call to let such a talented player leave Villa Park, the fee was too good to turn down, with the club currently having a player who is worth more than the English international in 2024.

Jack Grealish’s market value in 2024

Villa star Ollie Watkins enjoyed his best top-flight goalscoring campaign last season, bagging 19 goals in his 37 appearances – helping the club finish in the top four.

The 28-year-old “nightmare”, as described by Conor Coady, has been a constant source of goals for Villa after his £28m move from Brentford back in 2020, with Dean Smith's signing going on to register double figures in every campaign he’s featured in for the club.

His excellent form last season saw him receive a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024, scoring the winning goal off the bench during the semi-final victory over the Netherlands.

Watkins’ superb showings over the last 12 months has seen his market value soar, with the striker now valued at £55m as per Transfermarkt – a figure that is higher than former fan-favourite Grealish, who’s now only valued at £50m just three years after his record-breaking move.

The striker is just one example of the club’s excellent recruitment in recent times, with his goalscoring abilities allowing the club to reach heights that were unimaginable just a couple of years ago.

The supporters and Emery will desperately be hoping that he can replicate his sensational form from last season in 2024/25 as the club embark on an unforgettable European adventure in the coming months.

Aston Villa struck gold on free signing who's now worth more than Martinez

The club have certainly bagged themselves a gem.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 3, 2024

The transfer window finally comes to a close tomorrow night, and after a painfully slow start to the summer, Arsenal have been relatively busy of late.

On Tuesday afternoon, the club finally announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, who joins Riccardo Calafiori as the only new addition to Mikel Arteta's first team.

However, while incomings have been a little light on the ground, Edu Gaspar and Co have been busy dealing with outgoings.

For example, Emile Smith Rowe moved to Fulham at the start of the month for up to £34m, Fabio Vieira has returned to Porto for a season-long loan, and most recently, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Eddie Nketiah is on his way to Crystal Palace for a fee that could reach £30m.

While these deals are undoubtedly positive, the departure of the 25-year-old does mean that the striker position is now a little light, which could explain why the club have now been linked to an experienced centre-forward who'd be an ideal replacement for Nketiah.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in signing Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the window slams shut tomorrow night.

Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Chelsea and Newcastle United are also keen on the Englishman, with all three sides seeing him as a potentially cheaper option on the market at present.

The report does not mention how much the transfer could cost any of the interested teams, but due to the player's desire to leave Goodison Park this summer and his £100k-per-week contract expiring next year, he probably wouldn't cost very much.

It might not be a transfer that gets the fans on their feet, but it is worth pursuing given his raw ability, the chance for a cut-price fee, and Arsenal's need for a new backup striker.

Why Calvert-Lewin would be a good Nketiah replacement

Okay, so the first thing to clear up is that if this deal does happen, it will likely do so with the intention of Calvert-Lewin stepping into the role vacated by Nketiah, meaning that while he would hopefully get some more game time than the Englishman did last season, he would undoubtedly be a backup option to the likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

Therefore, comparing the Toffees ace's output to theirs would be pointless. Instead, it's worth looking at why he would be a good replacement for the outgoing 25-year-old, and the first is that while he has struggled in recent seasons, he clearly has talent.

For example, the last season in which he played over 2500 minutes came back in 2020/21, and in the 39 appearances he made for the Merseysiders that campaign, he racked up a seriously impressive haul of 21 goals and three assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement once every 1.62 games.

In fact, in his 249 appearances for Everton to date, the 6 foot 2 "monster", as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has found the back of the net on 68 occasions and provided 18 assists to boot, meaning he has averaged a goal involvement every 2.89 games for the club.

In contrast, in his 168 first-team appearances for the Gunners, Nketiah has scored 38 goals and provided seven assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 3.73 games.

Appearances

249

168

Goals

68

38

Assists

18

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

0.26

Ultimately, will Calvert-Lewin come in and fire Arsenal to the Premier League title? No, but he is an upgrade on the team's current backup striker, and in the games in which Havertz and Jesus need to rest, he could prove incredibly useful.

Therefore, so long as the fee is small and it does not impact the club's search for a game-changing forward, Edu and Co should look to bring the Everton ace to N5 before the window closes tomorrow night.

Trossard would love him: Arsenal pondering late bid for £110m sensation

The “world-class” number nine could fire the Gunners to the title.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 27, 2024

Amid a hectic summer transfer window, former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson believes that the Gers should have cashed in on a particular defender.

Rangers transfer news

Those at Ibrox endured quite the summer overhaul as Philippe Clement made his mark on the side ahead of his first full season in charge in Scotland. The Gers welcomed a total of 10 fresh faces whilst bidding farewell to the likes of John Lundstram, Todd Cantwell and Borna Barisic throughout the window.

The 10th and final arrival that Rangers secured took place on deadline day, with Nedim Bajrami arriving from Sassuolo on a permanent basis. The attacking midfielder replaces Cantwell and should hand Clement's side an instant boost going forward.

However, as Bajrami sealed the Gers' incomings for the summer, pundit Ferguson believes that Rangers should have cashed in on Ridvan Yilmaz.

He told Ibrox News: "I think they’ve missed a trick with Yilmaz. They should have tried to sell him in the summer, to be honest. Had a good look at Yilmaz over the course of the last two or three years. He ain’t robust enough for this league. Doesn’t play a lot of 90 minutes.

"I didnae think when the manager came in he’d be his cup of tea, but he stuck with him and says he would improve him in the pre-season in terms of his fitness. But here we are again, he’s injured, he’s going to be out for a length of time. It would have been the better option to try to sell him on.

"I think there was a little bit of interest from one or two of the Turkish teams. We’re going to have him now until January – and on the wages, there’s a £4m-£5m player on good wages, [and] we’re not going to be able to shift him."

Yilmaz adds depth behind Jefte

Whilst his latest injury comes at a frustrating time, Rangers couldn't have predicted the future, and keeping hold of Yilmaz looked set to be a wise decision by those at Ibrox before his latest setback.

For the time being, at least, the left-back will add depth behind first-choice Jefte when he returns from injury. And that depth shouldn't be looked past. It may well be the key to finally dethroning Celtic in a long season ahead.

The Gers will find out where they're at compared to their Old Firm rivals this weekend when they square off against the Bhoys for the first time this term. With 10 fresh faces at their disposal, they could yet lay down an early marker.

When the latter stages of the campaign arrive, Clement will need as many options as he can get if he is to achieve the ultimate success in his first full season in charge at Rangers.

The Capitals, meanwhile, will be without their death-overs duo of Nortje and Rabada

Alagappan Muthu09-Apr-20217:30

How do Delhi Capitals fill the void of Rabada and Nortje?

Big pictureAll that time watching and idolising MS Dhoni, now Rishabh Pant will have to find a way to knock him down and beat his team.After a rocky start, India’s next-gen wicketkeeper has done so well no one is talking about the legend from whom he took over. Outlandish Test-match-winning knocks in Australia and against England at home have established Pant as a serious player in Indian cricket and the Delhi Capitals’ decision to make him captain is a clear sign they want to ride the wave he’s on all the way to the final once again. And maybe go one better.Dhoni may have lost his Chepauk fortress and he may be leading a side that doesn’t really look all that different from the one that spent most of IPL 2020 at the bottom of the table, but his dedication to the Chennai Super Kings franchise and determination to get them back on top should not be underestimated.In the newsThe fast-bowling combination of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Norje was one of the Capitals’ biggest strengths last season. But with both arriving in India only on April 6, they will be stuck in quarantine while the rest of their team-mates will be out on the park in Mumbai.Lungi Ngidi is in the same situation for the Chennai Super Kings. All three South Africa players arrived late since they were playing Pakistan at home.The Capitals may also need to find cover for Axar Patel, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week. Unless he can return two negative tests by April 10, he will not be able to play this game.2:47

Gambhir: CSK won’t be able to make the playoffs

Likely XIsChennai Super Kings: 1 Moeen Ali, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Suresh Raina 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Dwayne Bravo, 9 K Gowtham, 10 Shardul Thakur, 11 Deepak ChaharDelhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Amit Mishra, 11 Ishant SharmaStrategy puntSo long as he is part of a cricket team, he will be its finisher. Such is Dhoni’s aura. But last year – due to a lack of match practice, much the same as this year – his big-hitting ability was severely impaired. So it was Ravindra Jadeja who took over and got those crucial boundaries away in the death overs. And he performed the role so well he was keeping up with the likes of Kieron Pollard and AB de Villiers. The time might have come for a passing of the baton.The absence of Rabada and Nortje severely limits Capitals’ ability to pose a threat as a death-bowling unit. All three of the fast bowlers who might potentially make their XI on Saturday – Chris Woakes, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma – are new-ball specialists. So perhaps they go all out up front and some of R Ashwin’s overs might be saved for the end. He’s experienced. He loves a challenge. And he would revel at the chance to go up against his old mate Dhoni and one up him.Stats that matter 105*, 227, 185*, 165. Those are Prithvi Shaw’s centuries from the Vijay Hazare 50-over games last month, when he led Mumbai to the title. His form is going to be crucial for the Capitals across this IPL season. Barely any of the Super Kings’ batsmen have been active in the lead-up to this tournament. Moeen Ali, who was part of the series against India recently, didn’t play the T20Is. Faf du Plessis last hit a ball during the PSL. Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu’s last matches were in January. Dhoni is retired. And Jadeja’s been injured. All that rust is bound to show.

“We will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021,” secretary Jay Shah said

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2021A fresh surge in the number of Covid-19 cases around the country has led to the BCCI suspending the proposed 50-over inter-state Vinoo Mankad Trophy for Under-19 men at least till the end of IPL 2021, which is scheduled to get over on May 30.”While our endeavour was to get in as many matches as was practicable across different age groups in the season, prevailing circumstances have now forced us to suspend all age-group tournaments,” Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, said in an email sent to the various state associations on Tuesday. “This is on account of the fact that active COVID cases are on the rise and organising tournaments requires intercity travel, strict quarantine measures and the creation and maintenance of bio-secure bubbles for the participants. Moreover, the situation is presently not conducive in some states.”Related

M Siddharth, R Sai Kishore carry TN to Mushtaq Ali Trophy title

From 'total chaos', Mumbai become Mumbai again

IPL 2021 to kick off on April 9; will be played across six cities

On January 30 this year, the BCCI had announced its plans of hosting the domestic 50-over competitions for men, women and Under-19 men despite the Covid-19 situation. The men’s national T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was nearing completion at the time.That meant no Ranji Trophy for the first time since its inception in 1934-35, and, along with a number of other cancelled tournaments, no Cooch Behar Trophy for the Under-19 men or any of the boys’ Under-16 or Under-23 competitions. Similarly, there would be no age-group tournaments for women cricketers either.

“Our players’ health, safety and well-being are our primary concern. I assure you that we will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021”Jay Shah

The postponement of these tournaments assumes greater significance than usual because there is the next edition of the men’s Under-19 World Cup scheduled for 2022 in the West Indies, and also the inaugural women’s Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh tentatively slotted for later this year too.”Considering the fact that the 10th and 12th Board Examinations are also around the corner across India, it is prudent that our young athletes have the opportunity to prepare and focus on these crucial examinations. Furthermore, our players’ health, safety and well-being are our primary concern,” Shah wrote. “I assure you that we will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021.”The BCCI had earlier asked the state associations to give their suggestions on the domestic calendar, which has had to be curtailed in a major way because of the pandemic and could only start in January this year.The 2020 edition of the IPL was held in the UAE, with the four-match Women’s T20 Challenge held alongside the playoffs of the men’s event, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was played across seven centres in India in January. That was followed by the all-format series between India and England – currently in progress – and the men’s 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, which ended on March 14. The women’s 50-over competition is currently on (final on April 4) and the 2021 edition of the IPL is slated to take place in India – only in Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata – between April 9 and May 30.

Heung-Min Son has been one of the best signings in Tottenham Hotspur’s modern history, exceeding all expectations following his £22m move from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2015.

The South Korean attacker has cemented himself as a club legend, scoring 162 goals for the Lilywhites in his 408 appearances in all competitions.

He formed an excellent partnership with Harry Kane during the Englishman’s time in North London, with the pair combining for more goals than any other duo in Premier League history – assisting each other 47 times.

After Kane’s move to Bayern Munich last summer, it left Son with the task of operating as a central striker, compared to his usual left-wing role which has seen him thrive over the years.

However, the potential addition of one talent this summer could allow him to slot back into his favoured position, whilst also forming a new formidable partnership to catapult Spurs up the Premier League table in 2024/25.

Tottenham want £86m superstar this summer

According to Football Insider, Tottenham made a move by registering their interest in Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, but face competition from multiple other English clubs this summer.

Liverpool and Chelsea are also credited with an interest, whilst local rivals Arsenal are claimed to have made the Swedish forward their number one target during this transfer window.

All the interest is hardly a surprise given his goalscoring record, with the 26-year-old registering a staggering 29 goals and ten assists in his 33 matches in Liga Portugal last season – making him the division’s top scorer by eight goals.

Everyone knows a goalscorer is worth their weight in gold in today’s market, with Sporting setting a £86m price tag to prise him away from the Portuguese club ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst he would be a very expensive addition for Ange Postecoglou’s side, he would add that cutting edge his side are lacking, with the Swede able to benefit from Son’s incredible ability in the final third.

Why Son would be perfect for Gyokeres at Tottenham

There have been huge changes at the club since Son’s move to North London, including a new stadium, various managers, and a huge turnover of players as the club look to push for a consistent place in the Premier League’s top four.

Last season was one of his most impressive campaigns at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, scoring 17 and registering 10 assists, a tally of 12 more than any other Spurs player last season.

However, his stats per 90 would fall perfectly into the hands of Gyokeres, with his goals undoubtedly helping Postecoglou’s side increase their chances of securing a Champions League spot.

Games played

35

Goals + assists

27

Assists per 90

0.3

Progressive passes

4.3

Progressive carries

3.7

Progressive carries (18-yard box)

2

Crosses completed

1.1

The South Korean averaged 0.3 assists per 90 last season – ranking him within the top 6% of all attackers in Europe – a figure that would allow the “incredible” Gyokeres, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, to replicate his excellent goalscoring figures in England’s top flight.

Son has also averaged 4.3 progressive passes and 3.7 progressive carries – with two of the latter per 90 seeing him take the ball into the opposition’s penalty area, allowing him to create frequent opportunities for the 26-year-old Swede.

Both players have demonstrated their ability to score goals and contribute with assists for their teammates in recent seasons, with the pair potentially excelling together should the Sporting Lisbon forward move to Spurs this summer.

He could provide the added goal threat that Postecoglou has been searching for, whilst also creating a partnership similar to that of Son and Kane, which could provide to be vital in the club’s hunt for a return to Champions League football.