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Alex Carey’s previous day of Test cricket at Lord’s was interesting. So was this one against South Africa.Missing a reverse sweep against Keshav Maharaj, and then spilling a regulation edge offered by Wiaan Mulder meant he was in the spotlight. However, Australia’s strong finish, which left them ahead of the game despite being restricted to 212, has perhaps lessened the significance of the two moments.The reverse sweep has been a regular theme of Carey’s career. A few years ago, his wife, Eloise, made clear her thoughts on it. “My wife is the harshest critic of the reverse. She says, ‘don’t play the bloody reverse sweep, not again’,” Carey joked in 2022 when it was a focal point of a tour of Sri Lanka. “But I just politely tell her, ‘you haven’t played the game; yes, you’re going to get out to reverse sweeps and sweeps… but it can also produce some success as well’.”Related

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His decision to play it when he did on the opening day at Lord’s will come under scrutiny. He used it to excellent effect in Sri Lanka earlier this year, but conditions at Lord’s were certainly not Galle. From 192 for 5, and the prospect of reaching 300 if he and Beau Webster could continue under clearing skies, suddenly turned into a lower-order collapse of 5 for 20 from 34 balls.But there was a gap in the field and, as for so many modern players, Carey sees it as just another of his shots. It went wrong, but it’s unlikely to stop him doing it again if he feels the moment is right.Carey’s numbers with the reverse sweep illustrate the risk-reward factor. In Test cricket, he has scored at more than a-run-a-ball with it (129 runs from 113 balls) and been dismissed on six occasions.Alex Carey loses his stumps to Keshav Maharaj attempting a reverse sweep•AFP/Getty Images

Since ending a period of limited returns with a series-winning, unbeaten 98 in New Zealand last year, Carey has been on a wonderful run across formats, so there is plenty of credit in the bank. He has also been outstanding behind the stumps, which made his dropped catch perhaps the more surprising mis-step.In the fifth over of South Africa’s innings, Mulder edged a drive against Mitchell Starc, Carey only had to move fractionally to his right but the ball burst through his gloves. Starc had started celebrating in anticipation of the wicket but had to hastily abort.”I think it was just one of those ones that swung a little bit on him, which can happen with the Dukes ball,” Steven Smith said. “You quite often see the ball go past the bat and swing late. It was one of those ones that just swung a little bit on him and got himself in a bit of an awkward position with where it got to his chest.Alex Carey started at a high tempo•ICC/Getty Images

“It’s a tricky place to catch behind the wicket sometimes when the ball does that. He’s been keeping so well the last two years. We’re all allowed to drop one every now and again.”Meanwhile, Smith did not expect batting to become too much easier as the game progresses after the opening day produced 14 wickets, nine of which came in the last session.”It might take a bit more spin as the game wears on,” he said. “It’s pretty dry. The seam might go down as the game goes on as well, potentially. I think the bounce is going to be variable throughout the game, as we’ve seen already on day one.”I think we’re in a good spot, we probably had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total but I think the wicket’s offered something all day as we’ve seen and we’re in a pretty good position, 169 in front when they’re four down. Hopefully it does a little bit in the morning like it did today.”

Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Mahmud has said that the ICC welcomed the change in leadership in the BCB after they were communicated of the decision. On Friday, the BCB’s board of directors elected Aminul Islam as the new president after the sports ministry removed Faruque Ahmed as its representative.”We have properly contacted the ICC. The new president also worked in the ICC for a long time,” Asif said in a press briefing in Dhaka on Saturday. “There’s no communication gap. ICC knows the situation here, so they have welcomed the decision.”Asif said that Faruque didn’t perform well in the nine months that he was in charge, while he was also linked to irregularities in the sports ministry’s fact-finding committee report. Eight BCB directors also sent a no-confidence motion against Faruque, which the sports ministry considered in its decision as well, Asif added.”We have seen in the report from the BPL’s fact-finding committee that there were instances of irregularity and negligence of responsibility,” he said. “We found Faruque’s link with them. Eight out of the nine BCB directors sent the NSC (the National Sports Council) a no-confidence motion.”Related

• Anatomy of a fall: How the BCB presidency changed hands

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The BCB constitution allows the sports ministry to have a quota of five councillors (members) and two board directors. The ministry had nominated Faruque and Nazmul Abedeen Fahim as their directors on August 21 last year, shortly after which the BCB directors unanimously elected Faruque as the new president. Nine months later, the ministry removed Faruque, and replaced him with Aminul. Asif said that the ministry has the right to pick and drop their nomination as councillor or director.”I spoke to Faruque personally. It is not like we removed him because we found corruption charges against him,” he said. “It is totally performance-based. Just like a selection committee wouldn’t pick an out-of-form player, it is the same for us.”NSC has the jurisdiction to give or take a [BCB director] nomination. We didn’t remove the president. We took his directorship, which is why his presidency was gone. We nominated another director. The board followed the ICC guideline and BCB constitution to elect the next president.”Asif said that Faruque’s decision-making during the BPL, particularly in selecting the Durbar Rajshahi franchise for the 2025 edition, was costly. He said that the payment issue was so embarrassing that Dr Muhammad Yunus, the country’s Chief Advisor, didn’t attend the BPL final.”The BPL’s fact-finding committee spoke to BPL’s stakeholders, including Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the BPL’s member-secretary. The sports ministry had informed our concerns about the owners of Durbar Rajshahi,” Asif said. “[Selecting them as a franchise] was an individual’s decision. In the end, even the government had to be involved to solve the players’ payment and hotel bill issue of that team. It was an undesirable situation. Our head of government couldn’t attend the BPL final, which was quite shameful for everyone.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s antics in the transfer window over recent days have been constant, pulling off numerous high-profile additions throughout the summer.

Xavi Simons made his £52m move to join the Lilywhites at the end of last week, finally ending the club’s long-standing pursuit of a new attacking midfielder this summer.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were Thomas Frank’s main targets for the position, but the hierarchy decided to turn to the Dutchman to help bolster the club’s attack.

Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel have both already arrived in such an area this window, strengthening the options at the manager’s disposal ahead of his debut campaign in the role.

However, with just a few hours left in the window, the board could be set to back the manager once again, subsequently targeting a move for another top-level forward.

Spurs’ hunt to land a new attacker on deadline day

Despite having an offer rejected earlier this summer, Spurs haven’t given up hope on a move for Manchester City star Savinho before tonight’s 7pm deadline.

It’s been reported that the Brazilian youngster still remains as a priority target for Frank, with a £70m transfer being mooted for the 21-year-old’s signature.

However, he’s not alone on their list, with Atalanta star Ademola Lookman another option for the Lilywhites this evening, according to GIVEMESPORT’s latest update.

They claim that the player himself is pushing for a move to North London, after previously stating his desire to depart the Italian outfit before the end of the window.

It’s also been suggested that the Nigerian forward could be available for around £43m – a potential bargain for a talent who registered 20 goals throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Why Spurs’ £43m target would be even better than Kolo Muani

In an attempt to bolster the front line, Spurs have turned their attention to PSG forward Randal Kolo Muani in recent hours – with a deal rapidly progressing throughout the day.

The Lilywhites have struck an agreement with Luis Enrique’s side to land the 26-year-old attacker, which will see the Frenchman join Frank’s side on a season-long loan.

It’s been reported that Spurs will pay a €5m (£4.3m) loan fee for his signature, with the deal not including any option or obligation to buy this time next year.

His tally of 10 goals in 22 appearances last season highlights the quality he possesses when in front of goal – hopefully handing the manager an option amid Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury.

However, a move for Kolo Muani may even be trumped in the remaining hours – especially if the hierarchy can strike up a late agreement for former Fulham star, Lookman.

The Nigerian has excelled in recent months – as seen by his goalscoring tally – which could make him a superb proposition for Frank and the rest of the frontline.

When comparing his underlying stats to those of Kolo Muani from 2024/25, he managed to outperform him in numerous key areas – highlighting why he’d be a better addition.

Lookman, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Squawka Sport, outscored the PSG star, whilst also achieving a better goal per shot on target rate – subsequently highlighting his added threat in front of goal.

However, in terms of chance creation, the Atalanta star has further dominated, completing more key passes per 90 and more passes into the final third – offering more of an all-round threat in attacking areas.

His talent in possession is further showcased in his higher tallies of take-ons completed and progressive carries made – which could allow him to beat the opposition before finding the back of the net.

£43m for a player of Lookman’s quality in today’s market is an excellent price, subsequently handing Frank the added attacking quality he’s craved throughout the summer window.

If he does join, he could potentially form a deadly partnership with Kolo Muani in North London – which could allow the Lilywhites to build on their Europa League triumph.

Imagine him with Kolo Muani: £70m star Spurs' top target on deadline day

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make another move after agreeing a deal for Randal Kolo Muani.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 1, 2025

Keylor Navas’ arrival has transformed Pumas' defense, with the veteran goalkeeper providing much-needed leadership for their backline. Since the former Real Madrid goalkeeper took over in net, Efraín Juárez’s side has surged. The Universitarios stretched their unbeaten run to seven with a 1-1 draw against Tigres, climbing to seventh in the table.

AFPA top-tier signing

Although Pumas currently sit outside Liga MX’s top five and would be facing the play-in round if the Apertura 2025 ended today, Navas’ impact between the posts gives the club plenty to celebrate. Since making his debut in Week 3, Pumas have the stingiest defense in the league, conceding only four goals across seven matches. The team hasn’t lost since his arrival.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportNavas by the numbers

Pumas’ rocky start, which saw them allow six goals in the first two games with young keeper Rodrigo Parra, now feels like a distant memory. Pumas' defensive resurgence is far ahead of their closest competitors, Cruz Azul and Tijuana, who have conceded seven goals each in the same span. Out of the seven matches Navas has started, Pumas has recorded three shutouts. Only Tigres surpasses them with four clean sheets, though they’ve played one extra game due to the postponed Week 1 fixture.

Overall, Pumas have posted three wins and four draws since Navas became their starting goalkeeper, placing them solidly in the top eight. 

AFPGetting praise from legends

Pumas' legendary goalkeeper Miguel Alejandro Palacios, known as “Pikolín,” highlighted Navas’ outstanding form in Mexico.

 “He’s a great goalkeeper, a historic one. He’s arrived at the best team in Mexico, and I hope he enjoys it. Enjoy playing for Pumas, guarding that goal, and having that connection with one of the best fanbases,” Palacios told ESPN.

Palacios made 206 league appearances for Pumas between 2003 and 2017, winning four Liga MX titles. 

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will look to extend this positive streak when they visit FC Juárez on Tuesday in Week 10, with a key clash against América scheduled for the following Saturday.

He is still recovering from an ankle injury picked up in January and remains a doubt for the white-ball tour of New Zealand after the Champions Trophy

Danyal Rasool07-Feb-2025Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub has been confirmed out for at least another five weeks owing to injury; he continues his rehabilitation from the ankle injury he sustained in South Africa in January. It further confirms that he will not be available for the Champions Trophy, which runs until March 9, and the extent of his involvement in Pakistan’s white-ball series in New Zealand after that remains uncertain.A PCB statement said Ayub was “progressing well in his right ankle fracture injury”. He remains in England, where he will complete the remainder of his rehabilitation, and has been ruled out for 10 weeks from the time of his injury, which he picked up while fielding in the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town five weeks ago.Ayub had to be stretchered off the pitch in just the seventh over of the match, when Ryan Rickelton edged a delivery through the slips, sending Ayub off on a chase to deep third alongside Aamer Jamal. Jamal pulled it back in as Ayub stood poised to be the relay fielder, but lost his balance and twisted his ankle. He went down immediately and appeared in anguish holding the lower part of his leg as the physio rushed on.Related

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Despite prolonged treatment outside the boundary line, Ayub was unable to put any weight on his right ankle, and appeared to be in tears as he was placed on to a stretcher and taken off. He was later seen on crutches in the medical booth.The PCB initially said he would be ruled out for six weeks, which offered some hope of his availability for the Champions Trophy, which Pakistan host. Last week the board announced the squad for the tournament, with Ayub absent from it.A week after the Champions Trophy final, Pakistan embark upon an eight-match white-ball tour of New Zealand, playing five T20Is and three ODIs between 16 March and 5 April. The Pakistan Super League starts on 8 April.

Raghvi Bist and Sayali Satghare have been called up for the series

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jan-2025India’s regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and fast bowler Renuka Singh have been rested for the three ODIs against Ireland, set to begin on January 10 in Rajkot. Smriti Mandhana has been named captain in Harmanpreet’s absence, while Deepti Sharma is the vice-captain.Raghvi Bist and Sayali Satghare have been called up for the series, while the likes of Arundhati Reddy, Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav continue to miss out. Bist recently made her T20I debut in the T20I series against West Indies in Navi Mumbai in December last year, where she played two games and made scores of 5 and 31. Satghare, meanwhile, received her India call-up for the ODIs against New Zealand in October 2024, but did not get a game.Pratika Rawal and Tanuja Kanwar, who made their India debuts in the West Indies ODIs in Vadodara, keep their places in the squad.Mandhana also stood in as captain when Harmanpreet sat out of the last two T20Is against West Indies. Harmanpreet, however, returned for the ODIs, making 88 runs in three matches.Shafali, who was dropped for the series against Australia and West Indies late last year, misses out on selection despite finishing as the top run-getter in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy that concluded on December 30. She scored 527 in seven games at 75.29, including a 197 against Bengal. More recently, on January 5, she scored a match-winning 91 off 71 balls for Team A in the chase against Team B in the ongoing One Day Challenger Trophy.The India vs Ireland series, part of the 2022-2025 future tours programme, will be Ireland’s first-ever bilateral tour of India, and the teams’ first series against each other since 2006. Ireland have lost all of the 12 ODIs they have played against India so far. The sides last met in the T20 World Cup in 2023, when India won by five runs.India women’s squad for ODIs against IrelandSmriti Mandhana (capt), Deepti Sharma (vice-capt), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare

Sam Harper was fight hard for Victoria as they attempted to narrow the deficit on a surface taking turn

AAP02-Nov-2024

Ben Manenti has masterminded a 4 for 7 collapse to spin South Australia into a strong position at the halfway stage of their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at Adelaide Oval.The offspinner was the central figure behind the visitors’ 45-delivery collapse from 59 for 0 to 66 for 4 in the middle session, before wicketkeeper Sam Harper saved his side from embarrassment, joined in the middle late in the evening by Peter Siddle.Related

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Manenti had Jonathan Merlo caught at backward square leg by Lloyd Pope, before bowling Ashley Chandrasinghe, then taking a sharp catch at second slip to dismiss Campbell Kellaway. Manenti dismissed Peter Handscomb, squeezing a catch to Henry Hunt at short leg, and added Tom Rogers to his list, miscuing a pull shot to Pope at backward point.Victoria captain Will Sutherland feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, as did Mitchell Perry, Liam Scott striking immediately with the second new ball.Harper, who has looked in decent touch, remained the key scalp for SA.In the corresponding fixture last summer, Harper thumped nine sixes in an astonishing 151 off 109 balls to lead Victoria to a thrilling, low-scoring victory.”We’ve still got to get these last three wickets,” Manenti said after stumps on Saturday. “Harps is batting nicely and Sids has been around for years – he can obviously chip in as well.”Get these last three, then get to work with the bat and give ourselves a real good shot tomorrow afternoon or early day four to have a crack and put ourselves in a position to win it.”After resuming at 286 for 9 overnight, SA’s stubborn tail frustrated the Victorian attack on the second morning before their innings concluded when No.11 Pope, who scored a personal-best 17, edged Cameron McClure to Harper.Evergreen ex-Test quick Siddle, who turns 40 this month, was the pick of Victoria’s bowlers, capturing 3 for 57.

Josh Hull to make first Test tour, Jordan Cox usurps Dan Lawrence as spare batter

Andrew Miller10-Sep-2024

Brydon Carse could be in line for a Test debut, just weeks after serving a ban for betting irregularities, while Jack Leach is back in England’s plans for the first time since the tour of India in February, after the selectors named a 17-man squad for their three-match series against Pakistan, which gets underway next month.Carse, 29, is one of six frontline fast bowlers in England’s squad, alongside the left-armer Josh Hull, who has been picked for his maiden Test tour after claiming three wickets on debut in the final Test of the summer, against Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval.His inclusion comes in the wake of the elbow injury that has ruled Mark Wood, England’s fastest bowler, out for the rest of the year. In May, Carse was suspended from all cricket for a total of 16 months (13 suspended) after pleading guilty to making a total of 303 bets on cricket matches, including Durham games in which he was not playing.Carse was permitted to continue training during his ban, and marked his return to action on August 29 with a century against Somerset at Taunton. His inclusion adds another 90mph option to England’s ranks, alongside Gus Atkinson and Olly Stone, who will also make the trip.Chris Woakes is also recalled for his first overseas engagement since the tour of the Caribbean in March 2022, despite reservations about his effectiveness away from home, where he averages 51.88 compared to 21.59 in the UK. However, having been installed as the leader of England’s bowling attack since the retirement of James Anderson earlier this year, Woakes responded well to the responsibility, claiming 24 wickets at 20.25 against West Indies and Sri Lanka.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

On the spin-bowling front, Leach is recalled to partner his Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir, who has taken over as England’s first-choice pick in home conditions. He lost his place after suffering a knee injury during the first Test against India in Hyderabad in February, but claimed 12 wickets in his most recently completed match, against Durham at Taunton.He has been picked ahead of Tom Hartley, whose seven-wicket haul sealed victory in the Hyderabad Test, with the legspinner Rehan Ahmed preferred as England’s third spinner, two years on from his own starring role on debut in Karachi, during their 3-0 victory in their last tour of Pakistan.On the batting front, Dan Lawrence has paid the price for his frenetic displays against Sri Lanka, in which he made 120 runs at 20 in six innings as a makeshift opener, including a top score of 35. Though he was playing out of position, as a stand-in for Zak Crawley, his performances mean he loses out to Jordan Cox, the uncapped Essex batter who had been with the Test squad in Crawley’s absence.Crawley, who broke his right little finger while fielding during the Edgbaston Test against West Indies, is back in the squad and is said to be making “significant progress in his recovery”, with just under a month to go until the first Test of the Pakistan series.England’s captain, Ben Stokes, who missed the Sri Lanka series due to a torn hamstring sustained during the Men’s Hundred, is also included, having stayed with the Test squad to work on his rehabilitation throughout the Sri Lanka series, in which Ollie Pope led the side to a 2-1 series win.England do not yet know for certain where the series will be staged, with the unusual size of their squad a potential reflection of the doubts around the venues. Earlier this week, a PCB spokesman told ESPNcricinfo that Rawalpindi and Multan had been approved for the three Tests, beginning on October 7, but the ECB added that official confirmation is expected later this week.England Test squad to tour Pakistan: Ben Stokes (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah won’t be available for India’s season-opening Duleep Trophy from September 5, ESPNcricinfo understands. The teams for the tournament will be picked later this month by the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar. However, most other centrally-contracted players are set to feature in the four-team competition.Among those who will be keenly watched are KL Rahul, who missed four of the five England Tests earlier this year due to injury, and Rishabh Pant, who could be featuring in his first red-ball game since returning to full fitness following a car accident in December 2022. Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Suryakumar Yadav and Rajat Patidar are some of the others specialist batters likely to be picked across the four teams.There is also a possibility that Mohammed Shami, who is nearing full fitness, will be asked to play in one of the matches to prove match fitness. Shami is currently in his last stages of rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru and has slowly eased into greater bowling workloads over the past week.Related

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• India hope Shami will be ready for Tests against Bangladesh

With India set to play 10 Tests over the next five months – five at home and five in Australia – the senior players will be given an extended break leading into the first of those assignments, the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting in Chennai on September 19.One of the two Duleep Trophy games that will be held simultaneously from September 5 is likely to be moved from Anantapur to Bengaluru owing to logistical considerations. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has been sounded out informally to be available to host the fixture.The move to have several contracted players feature in the competition is in line with the BCCI’s push towards ensuring domestic cricket is prioritised. In February, secretary Jay Shah had sent out a letter that prioritising IPL over domestic cricket would lead to “severe implications”, which had later led to Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan losing their central contracts after they missed some of the Ranji Trophy games just before the IPL.Originally a zonal competition picked by a convener from each of the six zones (North, South, East, West, Central and North-East), the format of the Duleep Trophy was tweaked prior to this season, upon the recommendation of a BCCI working group comprising former head coach Rahul Dravid, NCA chief VVS Laxman, Agarkar and BCCI general manager Abey Kuruvilla.One of the reasons for this move was to ensure the selectors are able to give a wider pool of players, including those in the targeted group, enough opportunities heading into India’s Test season. The four-team tournament is set to run until September 22 with each side set to play the other three in a round-robin format. The topper at the end of the standings will be the winner.

Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for another proven winger to complement Thomas Frank’s current squad, following Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig and reports that Son Heung-min may have played his last competitive game for Spurs.

Tottenham to pay asking price for Brazil international after Barcelona call

They’re “best placed” to do a deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Despite a fairly promising first six months in north London, Werner ultimately proved to be a flop after chairman Daniel Levy decided to extend his loan spell by a further season, with former boss Ange Postecoglou publicly criticising the German for lacklustre displays.

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” said Postecoglou after Spurs’ draw with Rangers in the Europa League.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds [playing], it’s not acceptable to me and I said that to Timo. He’s a senior German international.

“The moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

With the ex-Chelsea forward ending his brief Spurs stay, Frank could be left even more short in the wide area if Son does leave N17 after 10 years.

Saudi sides are expressing a keen interest in the South Korean star, and the Lilywhites may well decide that now is the right time to cash-in on him, taking into account his age and the fact he’s about to enter the final 12 months of his deal.

Spurs did seal a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, who put pen to paper on a £30 million move from Bayern Munich, but the club cannot afford to leave their new manager short of attacking options given their status as a Champions League club next term.

They’ve been linked with a host of big-name forwards in the last week, including Man City’s Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Frank’s former star at Brentford, Bryan Mbeumo.

All of these players are likely to command a marquee price tag, alongside fellow reported target Mohammed Kudus.

The West Ham winger has an £85 million release clause in his contract, which becomes active in July, but Graham Potter’s side could sell for around £65 million.

Tottenham initiate talks to sign West Ham star Mohammed Kudus

That is according to GOAL, who also report that Tottenham have “initiated” talks with West Ham over signing Kudus.

Frank’s side have apparently told the Hammers that they’re keen on striking a deal for the Ghanaian, but both clubs haven’t dealt with eachother when it comes to transfers since Scott Parker’s move to Spurs in 2011.

Both clubs most commonly refuse to do business, and for this reason, it is believed that West Ham would much rather Kudus join Chelsea instead, who are also keen on the African winger.

There is also some negotiating left to do, as Daniel Levy only wants to pay £50 million for Kudus as things stand, so they’re some way short of West Ham’s current asking price.

Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League than Kudus last season, highlighting his devastating dribbling ability, with the former Ajax star also attempting more shots at goal than Dominic Solanke on average (WhoScored).

He would be a truly excellent addition, but Levy will still need to invest significantly here.