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Tottenham have made contact to sign an "exemplary" attacker, and could hijack a big club's move for him in the process.

Spurs aiming to complete forward deal this summer

A plethora of different media sources have backed that Spurs are seeking new attacking options later this year, whether that's a natural striker or further back in midfield.

Ledley King has now told Tottenham chiefs to sign "wonderful" 24-year-old

He’s a recommendation of the Spurs legend.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 19, 2024

Reports suggest that the north Londoners are firm contenders to sign Pedro Neto from Wolves among others, with Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams also among Tottenham's transfer targets for later in the year.

Ange Postecoglou already has an abundance of attacking quality in his side, but uncertainty surrounds the futures of Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon, with it still yet to be officially confirmed that they will trigger the £15 million buy-out clause in Timo Werner's deal.

"Raphinha has been mentioned as well," said journalist Dean Jones on Tottenham's hunt for new wingers.

"Nico Williams, at Athletic Bilbao, is another player that they're continuing to monitor. It will be interesting. Pedro Neto will be a very difficult one to get because of the competition that there will be to actually sign him. But Tottenham have signed a couple of players recently, that they've done well to get through the door, and they will believe that anything is possible."

Spurs could well look to add more star quality in that area, and there have been previous links to talent from abroad – like Genoa star Albert Gudmundsson.

The Iceland international has been a star player for the Serie A side this season, and Tottenham already boast a good business relationship with Genoa, having agreed a £25 million deal over defender Radu Dragusin in the January transfer window.

Tottenham could hijack Inter move for Gudmundsson

Inter Milan have actually taken some steps to sign Gudmundsson behind the scenes, but according to newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), they face a fierce transfer rival in Spurs.

Tottenham are said to have made contact to sign Gudmundsson and could well foil Inter's plans for the attacking midfielder, coming after his brilliant campaign in Italy where he's bagged 10 goals and three assists over 27 league appearances.

The 26-year-old is an interesting option and can play anywhere across the attacking midfield, including central and out wide.

“If he keeps improving, he won’t stay at Genoa for long,” said Kevin Strootman to Il Secolo XIX newspaper (via Football Italia).

“He reminds me of Salah when he was at Roma, in that every now and then he disappears. Much like Salah then, he would have four or five chances per match and only score at most one.

“They used to say that if Salah was more clinical, he would be playing for Liverpool, and that is exactly what happened. All joking aside, Gudmundsson is a devastating player and also an exemplary professional.”

It is understood a formal letter from the government is expected on Friday

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Aug-2020The Indian government is set to give the BCCI permission to move the 2020 IPL to the UAE. ESPNcricinfo understands that different wings of the government, including Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, have given the nod for the tournament to be shifted outside India as the country is coping with a high surge of Covid-19 cases that have crossed the 2-million mark.Although both BCCI and IPL have not made a comment yet, it is understood a formal letter from the government is expected to be sent on Friday.ALSO READ: Rigorous testing, restricted movement, one team per hotel, in IPL SOPsOn Wednesday, the IPL conducted a meeting with the franchises to seek their views on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) along with questions, including the travel arrangements for players and support staff, the necessary testing protocols and the quarantine process before and after the teams land in the UAE.Breach the bubble and face the penaltyThe IPL made it absolutely clear to franchises that any stake holder – be it a team member or owner – breaching the biosecure bubble would be penalised as per the tournament’s code of conduct although it did not exactly specify the penalty itself.”Breach of any Bio-Secure Environment protocols by players and team support staff will be punishable under the IPL Code of Conduct Rules,” the IPL said in the draft SOP document spanning 16 pages, titled “Overview of Health & Safety Protocols during IPL 2020 Season”.According to the protocols, team members can leave the bubble only “under exceptional circumstances, e.g. hospital visits for scans,” but with “prior” permission from the IPL Medical Manager, a new position created due to the pandemic. “In such cases, special arrangements will be made to ensure minimal contact with other personnel outside the Bio-Secure Environment,” the document said.Franchises to appoint a team doctorEvery franchise would need to appoint a team doctor, who would be responsible for implementing all medical guidelines. The IPL has also recommended the franchises get the “medical and travel history” of every team member since March 1, information it has said should be obtained two weeks before flying out to the UAE. “This will be done via an online questionnaire along with a daily temperature logging and symptom checker going live 2 weeks before the team’s assembly,” it said in the SOP document.The IPL has also proposed teams should only depart for the UAE from August 20 with minimum squads and ideally on charter flights. Another thing that will be compulsory for team members is wearing a “triple layered mask” in public places.The IPL has already put up a rigorous testing process in place with mandatory multiple tests before they start training. This would also include having a six-day quarantine period upon landing in the UAE. In addition to the test upon landing at the airport in the UAE, all team members would undergo three further tests – on days one, three and six after arriving. Only once the results of all tests come out negative can team members meet within the bubble, but would need to wear masks while following social-distancing norms.Enter ShycocanAll eight teams would also need to stay separately. “Team members must be allotted rooms in a separate wing of the hotel that has a separate centralised air conditioning (AC) unit than the rest of the hotel,” the IPL said.Teams meetings, the IPL has said, should be conducted in open spaces as far as possible. Considering spectators would not be allowed for the matches, the IPL has said teams should not be confined in the designated dressing rooms and can spread across “vacant areas” in the ground.To mitigate the risk of Covid-19 at the venue, the IPL has recommended the use of Scalene Hypercharge Corona Canon (Shycocan), “a device that has the ability to neutralise 99.9% of the coronavirus that might be floating in the air in closed spaces.”On match days, team members would need to have their temperature checked, and during and after the game team members have been discouraged to engage in celebrations involving any body contact including “handshakes.”Owners/families to undergo seven-day quarantine if protocol breachedAs far as team owners and families of team members are concerned, the IPL has said the medical guidelines would apply to them, too, including the testing and social-distancing protocols. Owners and family members who are not part of the team bubble would not be allowed on the team bus to the ground.Owners and families who will be inside the team bubble from the beginning are also “not permitted” to meet people outside the bubble. Failing to follow the protocol would mean a week-long quarantine. They will also have to “return two negative PCR tests on Day 6 and Day 7, to be allowed to re-enter the Bio-Secure Environment.”

England name 13-man squad including Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, with nine players staying on in reserve

Alan Gardner04-Jul-2020England have opted for continuity ahead of the first Test against West Indies, with every member of their 13-man squad having featured on the tour of South Africa earlier this year. That means Joe Denly is set to retain his place in the batting line-up, while the main decisions will revolve around the make-up of the pace attack.Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, both of whom impressed during England’s warm-up game this week, may be vying for one place, while Chris Woakes is the allrounder option in support of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Sam Curran, who tested negative for Covid-19 after feeling unwell during the match, is among the nine reserves who will remain with the squad at the Ageas Bowl.Most noteworthy among those missing out were Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, senior members of England’s white-ball squads but overlooked for the Tests. Bairstow had been a contender to come into the side in the absence of Joe Root, England’s Test captain who is missing the game in order to attend the birth of his child, but only managed scores of 11 and 39 in the three-day warm-up; James Bracey and Dan Lawrence, who both caught the eye with half-centuries, have been retained as the back-up batsmen.Dom Bess remains at the head of the pack among England’s spinners, keeping out Jack Leach, who is among the reserves, and Moeen. Bess claimed 3 for 72 in his outings for Team Buttler, while Leach and Moeen went wicketless for Team Stokes in the first innings and then conceded runs at six an over in the second.With Root having already left the camp, and Ben Stokes in line to become England’s 81st Test captain, the selectors have stuck with familiar names for the first of three matches in three weeks against West Indies. Rory Burns returns, having suffered ankle-ligament damage while playing football in South Africa, and seems set to open alongside Dom Sibley, with Denly and Zak Crawley the options to cover for Root’s absence at No. 4.Ollie Pope and Stokes will complete the batting line-up, while Jos Buttler retains the gloves, as head coach Chris Silverwood hinted during the week, with Ben Foakes retained as back-up keeper.In the fast-bowling department, England have Archer and Wood available to provide extra pace – but while there may be a temptation to deploy them together in Test cricket for the first time, Silverwood has previously hinted that they will likely be rotated in order to protect both from wear and tear. Archer has only recently recovered from an elbow stress fracture, having missed three Tests in South Africa and been omitted from the touring party for Sri Lanka in March.Although Broad went wicketless in the Ageas Bowl warm-up, he has been the automatic pick to partner Anderson with the new ball – currently on a run of 51 consecutive Test appearances at home – but Woakes will also have the chance to press his case.With the likelihood that England will have to rotate their seamers in order to keep them fresh – there are only three-day gaps between the Tests – the reserves include two uncapped quicks in Saqib Mahmood and Ollie Robinson, alongside Craig Overton and Olly Stone, who stays on despite not being fit enough to bowl in the warm-up game because of hamstring trouble.England squad for first Test: Ben Stokes (capt), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark WoodReserves: James Bracey, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, Olly Stone

Manchester United have received a positive update on Mason Mount's hamstring injury with the midfielder set to return to the pitch ahead of schedule.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mount picked up a hamstring injury last month
• Has gradually been eased back into team training
• Might return before end of September

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mount has been out of action since sustaining an injury during the first half of United's defeat to Brighton in August. Following the game, the club confirmed it was "a minor injury setback due to keep him out of action for a few games".

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to the Mount has returned to full training ahead of schedule, raising hopes that he could be available for selection by the end of the month. This development is a welcome relief for United as the midfielder had been touted for a vital role in Erik Ten Hag’s restructured pressing system.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In a press conference ahead of United’s upcoming Carabao Cup match against Barnsley, Ten Hag sounded optimistic about Mount's recovery and informed that the player is "progressing" in his rehabilitation. Since his move from Chelsea last summer, Mount has yet to find his best form and could only make 14 Premier League appearances in 2023-24 due to a persistent calf injury. Although he was able to start United's first two games of the new campaign, the hamstring injury was another major setback for the England international, who will be eager to regain his place in the starting lineup and make a more significant impact.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  United face a busy schedule in September, with four more games to play. Their next fixture is a third-round EFL Cup clash against Barnsley on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Crystal Palace in the league. They will then host Twente and Tottenham in the Europa League and Premier League, respectively to see out this month. It remains to be seen if Mount can feature in the crucial clash against Spurs London side on September 29.

Liverpool return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon with the small matter of hosting Manchester City amid a heated three-way title race.

Pep Guardiola's side have won the Premier League for three successive seasons but trail Liverpool by a point heading into the business end.

Arsenal may well finish the weekend on top should they win at home to Brentford and see Liverpool and City draw, but the Reds will remain in an excellent position as long as the Citizens fail to win at Anfield.

Still, the quality is there to send City packing with their tails between their legs, especially with the buoying returns of several key stars from injury.

Liverpool still nurse a bloated injury list, but Jurgen Klopp will be confident in his side's prospects, and might make three changes after dispatching Sparta Prague 5-1 away from home on Thursday night in the first leg of their last-16 Europa League tie.

1

GK – Caoimhin Kelleher

Alisson Becker has been plagued by injuries this season and he's going to miss out again against Manchester City, but Caoimhin Kelleher has been utterly brilliant in his stead.

The backup shot-stopper has played a major part in Liverpool's success this season and is more than capable for the forthcoming fixture, with his skipper, Virgil van Dijk, even marvelling at his "world-class" performances of late.

His efforts will likely leave him demanding first-team football next season and thus he might be in the final stretch of his Liverpool career, but what a journey.

2

RB – Conor Bradley

Conor Bradley scored a rather unfortunate own goal on Thursday night but this should not detract from the 20-year-old right-back's incredible start to life as a first-team regular at Liverpool.

Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to languish in the medical room, but Bradley has proved himself a worthy asset, arguably with a more complete skill set than the influential England international anyway.

3

CB – Ibrahima Konate

The same question is on everyone's mind: will Ibrahima Konate be fit to start against Manchester City? Let's hope. Jarell Quansah is a fine prospect, but he doesn't boast the polish nor the all-round monstrous defensive style as Konate – yet.

The France international needed to step up after Joel Matip's season was severed back in December due to an ACL injury, and alongside his imperious partner, Liverpool will have a darn good shot at stifling Haaland, Foden and co.

4

CB – Virgil van Dijk

Van Dijk has been there, he's done that. Against Manchester City, no Reds player will be tasked with greater responsibility than he, commanding his team and organising his backline against some of the world's finest attacking outlets.

It's all been said before; everyone knows how good he is. The Netherlands international will be right at the heart of the battle, locking horns with his prolific adversaries.

5

LB – Joe Gomez

Andy Robertson hasn't looked the same since returning from his four-month injury layoff in January, but patience must be urged here, the Scottish whiz is one of the best in the business and is bound to be back to his best soon.

However, against Phil Foden, his lack of awareness and lapses could be detrimental, and for that reason, Klopp would be wise to unleash the versatile Joe Gomez from the outset, with the defender impressive across a range of roles this season.

6

DM – Wataru Endo

Liverpool lost out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea in August and the world laughed. Admittedly, it was funny (in a not-so-ha-ha way for the Reds), but the surprise signing of Wataru Endo for £16m to plug the gap in holding midfield has proved to be a masterful piece of business.

Industrious, intelligent and devoted to the cause, the 31-year-old will do the groundwork that allows those ahead of him to flourish and threaten Ederson's goal.

7

CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

Dominik Szoboszlai scored in the dying embers of Liverpool's tie in the Czech Republic on Thursday to put any hopes of a Sparta Prague comeback to bed.

The Hungarian, who has been described as an "artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his invention in the Liverpool midfield, will be one to watch tomorrow.

Klopp must boldly drop Liverpool's 8/10 star alongside Robertson

Anfield welcomes the defending champions in a seismic Premier League showdown on Wednesday.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 9, 2024

Unleashing him from the start will mean that Harvey Elliott, praised for his "special" recent displays by journalist Bence Bocsak, has to return to the bench, but this is the right call for such a pivotal showdown.

8

CM – Alexis Mac Allister

The unerring engine in the centre of the park for Liverpool this season, Alexis Mac Allister has been immense since completing a £35m transfer to Liverpool from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, offering the full package in midfield.

As per Sofascore, the 2022 World Cup winner has scored two goals and supplied four assists from 22 Premier League matches this season, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles, 5.6 successful duels and 5.7 ball recoveries per game, also succeeding with 63% of his dribbles.

9

RW – Mohamed Salah

He's back, and what a time to return to the starting lineup. On Thursday night, Mohamed Salah thought he'd made a goalscoring return from injury off the bench for the second time in as many months but it wasn't to be, with the Egyptian's strike against Sparta Prague chalked off for the slightest of offsides.

Across all competitions this season, Salah has posted 19 goals and 10 assists from only 23 starts, with a fine record of 17 goal contributions from 20 clashes against Manchester City, too.

10

LW – Luis Diaz

Luis Diaz has been unwavering on the left flank for Liverpool across recent months, and while the Colombian's wastefulness in front of goal has posed a problem for Klopp's side, his fleet-footed skills and directness make him a valuable asset nonetheless.

Talks continuing between Cricket Ireland and ECB to hold three-match series in late July

Matt Roller08-Jun-2020The prospects of Ireland’s ODI series against England going ahead were boosted on Monday, as their centrally-contracted players returned to training under strict health protocols following government approval.Cricket Ireland has been involved in discussions with the ECB for several weeks about moving the three-match series forward from September to the end of July, and the games look set to go ahead pending approval from the UK government.Ireland men’s and women’s squads will resume training this week, with some players starting on Monday, following deep cleans at the Cricket Ireland High Performance Centre in Dublin, the Civil Service ground in Belfast, and at Bready CC, as well as online education sessions for players and coaches over the weekend.ALSO READ: Ireland itching to play England ODIs despite risks, says Paul StirlingRichard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s high performance director, said that the timing of the resumption was necessary to avoid falling behind England’s white-ball players, most of whom returned to training last week.”We are still in discussions with the ECB,” Holdsworth said. “In terms of getting ready for those matches should the approval come, with a six-to-eight-week period regarded as essential from the standing start of lockdown to being ready for international cricket – particularly for our bowlers – it was crucial that our players did not lose any more time with the England squad already back to training.”In addition, there is also still the outside prospect of the men’s T20 World Cup in late 2020 – so it may still be a big year for the men’s squad. The women’s squad are looking at a rescheduled World Cup qualifier tournament which, if it proceeds this year, will require a lead-up programme.”We have a few players still overseas at the moment, and two who permanently reside in England, but otherwise we expect to have the contracted senior men’s squad involved today. The women’s senior performance squad and the four emerging contracted players will start training from tomorrow [Tuesday].”Ireland’s centrally-contracted players remained on full pay throughout the lockdown – although the majority of their earnings usually comes from match fees rather than retainers – and have been in regular contact with support staff over the past few months.Training will start at an individual level under strict guidelines similar to that followed by England, meaning players will turn up in full kit after registering their temperature before leaving home, use all their own equipment, and have no access to changing rooms or storage facilities.England are likely to be without several important players for the series, with the expectation that they will name completely separate Test and white-ball squads for the series against West Indies and Ireland respectively.The series is also set to be the first in the qualification process for the 2023 World Cup via the new ODI Super League, and Paul Stirling told ESPNcricinfo last month that “whatever team they [England] put out, we know it’ll be a strong one”. England have won their last five completed ODIs against Ireland, a run which dates back to their famous defeat in Bengaluru at the 2011 World Cup.

All summer long, GOAL handed out grades for the biggest transfers from around the women's game

From Vivianne Miedema and Mary Earps to Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, there were some huge names of the women's game on the move in a massive summer transfer window as clubs got themselves in the best possible shape ahead of the 2024-25 season.

As always, some of those deals will work out and some won't. How successful each move will be can be hard to gauge at the time, but sometimes it's not; sometimes it looks like a sure win straight away, whether it is for the buyer, the seller or the player themselves.

GOAL is here, then, to ensure you know how all parties did in every massive move this past transfer window. Throughout the summer, we graded every big done deal as it happened, letting you track the winners – and losers – of the off-season.

Check out our grades below, and let us know what you think in the comments section…

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  August 14: Cloe Lacasse (Arsenal to Utah Royals)

  For Arsenal: On one hand, this is a perfectly good bit of business from Arsenal. Lacasse didn't nail down a place in the Gunners' starting XI last season after arriving from Benfica and was instead largely used as a sub, despite regularly making an impact. To sell her to the Royals for a significant fee, then, makes sense in a way. However, it's hard for the overriding feeling about this transfer not to be that Arsenal could have, and should have, used the Canada international more. To lose a versatile, hard-working and effective forward is a blow, even if the Gunners didn't get the best out of her. Grade: B

  For Utah Royals: This is a fantastic signing for Utah, the lowest scorer in the NWSL through the first half of the 2024 season. Lacasse is an explosive, direct and exciting forward who can make things happen on her own, something that will be music to the ears of Royals fans who have had little to shout about on the team's return to the league. This isn't a side that leaks a ton of goals on a regular basis, with seven of its 11 NWSL defeats this year coming by one-goal margins, so the addition of some star quality in attack like Lacasse could make a huge difference in turning the tide. Grade: A

  For Lacasse: It's a real shame that things didn't work out for the 31-year-old in England, as she had earned that opportunity through her excellence at Benfica, but this is a promising new chapter in a league that she should adapt to well given her athletic qualities. While playing for a team that has fared better so far this season might've been preferred, Lacasse will be a key player in Utah and that regular game time will certainly be welcomed, for the sake of her club career, sure, but also her international fortunes. Grade: B+

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  August 12: Katie Zelem (Man Utd to Angel City)

  For Man Utd: Despite some generally positive business in terms of incomings, it's been a summer of big blows for Man Utd when it comes to exits. After the departures of star goalkeeper Mary Earps and fan favourite Lucia Garcia, club captain Zelem became the latest to leave when her contract expired at the end of June. It's another key player that the Red Devils have lost on a free transfer and another big leader that the dressing room no longer has. This is the second summer in succession that the team has had a window that gives it a 'transitional' feel and if the club wants to consistently challenge for trophies, those just cannot occur as regularly as they seem to be. Grade: F

  For Angel City: If there was one area that Angel City needed to strengthen in, it was in midfield, and the club has done exactly that with the signing of Zelem. The 28-year-old will bring consistency, experience and leadership to the middle of the park for a team that needs a big second half of the season in order to get into those playoff spots again. She'll certainly boost the Los Angeles side in its quest to do so – and all on a free transfer, too. Grade: A

  For Zelem: After six years at Man Utd, this move represents an exciting new challenge for Zelem. The midfielder has found herself on the outside looking in when it comes to England squads in recent times and perhaps a change of scenery is what she needs to increase her chances of getting a Lionesses recall before the European Championships next summer. The NWSL is a totally different league, so it will challenge her in new ways and make her a better player by rounding out other areas of her game. Whether it will be enough to get into Sarina Wiegman's squad again, only time will tell, but it does feel like it will aid Zelem's bid to get back in an England shirt. Grade: A

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  July 31: Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa to Arsenal)

  For Aston Villa: It's never ideal to lose your No.1 goalkeeper and Aston Villa do so just one season after signing her. They have at least got a significant fee in the process, having inserted a release clause worth £200,000 ($254,000) into Van Domselaar's contract last summer. That the club was able to replace her promptly was a positive too, signing Sabrina D'Angelo on a free after her release from Arsenal. It means the goalkeeper department is well-stocked, as the Canadian is added to a squad that already features New Zealand star Anna Leat and a promising young talent in Sophia Poor. Few would disagree that Van Domselaar is better than all three, however Villa will not be short of quality in that area despite her departure. Grade: B

  For Arsenal: Does Jonas Eidevall finally have his ideal goalkeeper? It's a position that has seen constant chopping and changing during his tenure, with Van Domselaar the fourth player for the position that has arrived since he took charge in the summer of 2021. That's because it's been a bit of a problem area when it comes to consistent, error-free performances, something Eidevall will hope to get from the Dutchwoman. Whether or not she can deliver it, in just her second season in one of the world's best leagues, time will tell. The feeling is that the very talented Van Domselaar upgrades the goalkeeping department and will immediately compete to start – though, at 24 years old, she does still have growing to do as she becomes more experienced. Grade: B

  For Van Domselaar: After a solid, though not flawless, first year in the Women's Super League with Aston Villa, Van Domselaar has earned herself a move to a club that will play in Europe and expect to compete for the title. It's expected that she will at least share duties with Manuela Zinsberger, too, if not pip her to the role of first-choice, so this is a hugely positive move for someone with such a bright future. It will come with more pressure and a demand for more consistency though and if she doesn't step up to deliver that, then Arsenal can turn to Zinsberger right away. It's competitive but exciting. Grade: A

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  July 29: Jess Carter (Chelsea to Gotham)

  For Chelsea: This is a huge blow. Carter was one of Chelsea's very best players as they won a fifth-successive Women's Super League title last season, her consistency crucial in a team that was hit by a ton of injuries in defence in particular. The Blues do still have some quality centre-backs, but her departure does knock the depth there, which is extremely important for a team that is regularly fighting on four fronts. Whether the club dips back into the market in light of this sale or trusts someone like Aniek Nouwen, a senior Netherlands international who has yet to assert herself at Chelsea, to step up, only time will tell. But this is a hit, not least because Carter has the versatility to help the team in a variety of positions. Grade: F

  For Gotham: On the flip side, this is a great pick-up for the reigning NWSL champions. Gotham already have the best defensive record in the U.S. league this season, so while signing Carter doesn't fill a need, she will improve that backline even more with her quality, experience and the competition that her arrival will guarantee. The 26-year-old is another player who knows what it takes to consistently lift trophies, too, and that can certainly help a club that is looking to build a team capable of doing that for years to come. Grade: B

  For Carter: After six years at Chelsea, and a decade playing in the top-flight of her home country, this is an exciting new chapter for Carter. The England star herself has spoken about how the NWSL's style, so different to the WSL, can help her to improve and become a better player, challenging her in new ways. She has already made so much progress in the last 12 months and this switch to a new environment can only help her continue down that path. That it reunites her with fiancé Ann-Katrin Berger is an obvious bonus. Grade: B

The going hasn't been great at West Ham United in recent months but Monday night's resounding romping over Brentford in the Premier League has sparked fresh optimism in David Moyes' leadership.

West Ham secured their first victory in 2024 as Jarrod Bowen's hat-trick provided some blistering offensive success that has been scarcely seen throughout this tough spell, but now this result must be followed by a sustained purple patch.

Awaiting Freiburg in the Europa League last 16 and still perched in eighth place in the league, behind Brighton & Hove Albion only on goal difference, Moyes' men will need to muster all of their firepower to secure a triumphant end to the campaign.

Bowen might be one of English football's finest forwards but he's not exactly supplemented by the most prolific of peers, with Maxwel Cornet guilty of ineffectual performances in east London for too long.

Why West Ham signed Maxwel Cornet

West Ham signed Cornet from Burnley for £17.5m back in August 2022 after the Ivorian's stunning season in Lancashire.

Despite the Clarets' relegation from the Premier League under Sean Dyche, Cornet shone from a principally left-sided role, scoring nine goals and placing one assist across just 21 starting appearances.

Versatile and fleet-footed, it appeared to be a shrewd piece of business from the Hammers for a player proven in tough conditions at Burnley, but his career at the London Stadium has not gone to plan.

In fairness, Cornet won the Europa Conference League during his first campaign with West Ham and contributed with three assists in the group phase, though his chances in the English top-flight were severely affected by injuries and he started only two times, failing to earn a goal contribution.

The 5 foot 10 winger has not enjoyed much better luck since the summer, starting just three matches across all competitions and scoring once, in the Premier League against Sheffield United in January.

Maxwel Cornet's salary at West Ham in 2024

Given that Cornet takes home a healthy salary of £65k per week, it might be wise for Moyes to consider cashing in on him sooner rather than later, with his lack of potency contributing to a rather dull frontline bailed out by Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.

He's earning more than stars such as Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos despite his woeful return in front of goal, with his lack of success marking him down as a flop to mirror Danny Ings, a player currently goalless in 2023/24.

Of course, Ings is on a far greater salary – £125k-per-week – but the former Southampton sharpshooter at least offers more in his all-round play, supplying a remarkable four key passes in the aforementioned draw to Sheffield United and bagging ten times in 2022/23.

Owen Hargreaves described Cornet as a "fabulous goalscorer" during his stay at Turf Moor but it's clear that he has failed to capture his former form with West Ham, and while he deserves sympathy for his injury-hit 2022/23 term, a continued fringe role this season suggests that he should be axed after the close of the campaign.

The final that was due to be played in Wollongong at the end of the month has been cancelled

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2020New South Wales have been named the Sheffield Shield champions after the final was cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic.In a move that had been likely for some days following the abandonment of the final round of matches, Cricket Australia confirmed the decision on Tuesday as they also “strongly recommended” that cricket at all levels was cancelled while they also closing their offices.New South Wales were well out in front during the regular season of the Sheffield Shield having already secured hosting rights for the final with six wins in nine matches before the abrupt end to the season. Victoria, the defending champions, were in second spot with Queensland also pushing hard to contest the final which would have been played in Wollongong.Speaking in Melbourne on Tuesday, Cricket Australia chief executive said that New South Wales’ considerable lead in the table had made their decision easier.”When we were assessing it relative to the Shield final there were a number of questions, where do we play the final, if we don’t play the final, is the final postponed, do you not declare a winner,” he said. “I think it was perhaps helpful while we had after round nine five of the six states still in contention to win the Shield, which was fantastic, we did have New South Wales 12 points clear at the top of the table, so credit to New South Wales and to be open that probably made our decision-making a little easier, given that they had such a gap on the field.”Regarding CA’s recommendation that all cricket be stopped, Roberts said. “I’m conscious that around the country a lot of cricket clubs existed in the 1800s, well before Cricket Australia was formed. Over that very long period of time they’ve been led by really capable voluntary administrators who are leaders in their communities. We’ve got a role to be informed from the likes of the government and other experts and to then provide advice and recommendations, but it’s the role of those leaders, who we trust and have trusted in some cases for well over 100 years, to make the best decisions for their communities based on their advice just as we’re seeking to do for cricket more broadly.”All Cricket Australia staff will now work remotely until further notice. While the major impact of the coronavirus pandemic has hit at the end of the Australian season – forcing the scrubbing of the last two Chappell-Hadlee ODIs when New Zealand had to return home due to tightened travel restrictions which also meant the postponement of Australia’s T20I tour – it would appear that this will not be a short-term situation. CA’s next big decisions will involve involvement of their players at the IPL should the tournament go ahead then the tours of Bangladesh in June and England in July.”By effectively cancelling the remainder of our season, Cricket Australia is playing its part in protecting fans, players, staff, volunteers and match officials during this unprecedented global health issue,” Roberts said in an earlier statement. “As organisations around the world rally to slow the spread of the coronavirus, it’s important that we also provide decisive leadership. We hope that by taking these actions now – in addition to those announced in recent days – we can contribute to ‘flattening the curve’ of coronavirus and society returning to normal as quickly as possible.

Arsenal and Liverpool-linked Viktor Gyokeres admits his €100 million release clause is a “bit too much”, but he may end up in the Premier League.

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• Swede starred in England for Coventry
• Enjoyed stunning debut season in Portugal
• Wants to test himself at the highest level

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The prolific Sweden international spent three seasons in England with Swansea and Coventry before heading to Portuguese giants Sporting in the summer of 2023. He hit 43 goals through 50 appearances during his debut campaign in Lisbon.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Those exploits are said to have seen the 26-year-old frontman register on recruitment radars at Emirates Stadium, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea another of his many suitors. No deal was done in the last window, but Gyokeres is looking forward to seeing what happens in the next.

• WHAT GYOKERES SAID

  He has told when asked about his present and future, with suitors needing to find €100m (£84m/$111m) in order to get a deal done: “They (Sporting) wanted most of the starting players to stay and held us tight. That’s how it turned out, but I enjoy Sporting very much, so for me it was no problem to stay. Of course you want to play at the highest level. It (release clause) was probably a bit too much because nothing came of it. Of course, it’s a lot of money. But we’ll see what happens next window… I enjoy myself very much in Sporting and can’t complain about anything, so it’s absolutely no problem for me to stay. Of course, you aim to test other leagues and a higher level, but I have no stress.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Gyokeres is under contract until 2028, so Sporting are under no pressure to sell and his asking price will not be dropping any time soon. He has already registered a further seven goals through five appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, as stunning individual standards are maintained.