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Tottenham have been dealt a blow over their chances of ever re-signing Harry Kane after chairman Daniel Levy admitted there was a buy-back clause in his Bayern Munich deal.

Latest Tottenham news

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou is overseeing a real revolution in north London following an absolutely excellent start to this Premier League season.

The Lilywhites have won four out of their first five top flight matches; clinching vital victories at the expense of Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley and, most recently, Sheffield United.

Last Saturday, Spurs were forced to dig deep for the three points after going a goal behind courtesy of a sweet finish from Blades midfielder Gustavo Hamer.

Last gasp strikes from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevki deep into added time maintained Postecoglou's unbeaten start to the campaign, with Tottenham heading into their north London derby clash against Arsenal in top form.

The north Londoners have displayed a new style of exciting, attack-minded football so far; scoring 13 goals and standing out as the division's third-highest goalscorers.

Impressively, this success has been without former superstar Kane, who sealed a multi-million pound switch to Bayern in the summer transfer window.

Harry Kane buy back clause

Speaking at a fan forum earlier this week, Spurs chief Levy revealed that the club have inserted a buy-back clause in the deal which took Kane from England to the Bundesliga.

When asked by supporters if the club had a buy-back option, Levy simply replied "of course" without going into any further detail.

There have been questions surrounding the details of this clause and what it could entail, with reports suggesting they will have "first option" for the 30-year-old if he were to make a Premier League return.

However, things may not be as straight-forward as that, as journalist Sami Mokbel sharing what he knows for The Daily Mail.

The reporter writes that Levy and Kane's relationship is now "strained" following his complicated move to Bayern, as it is claimed the Tottenham boardroom member pushed back on certain parts of the deal in last minute fashion.

This resulted in the striker's flight being delayed and plunged into brief doubt. Kane wasn't even allowed to return to Enfield HQ, as Levy and Spurs thought it would be inappropriate given a fee was agreed.

The transfer was given a green-light eventually, but all of this means Levy and the forward's relationship is on the rocks. As a result, it is very doubtful whether Kane would even consider re-joining Tottenham.

How good is Harry Kane?

The England star was pivotal in his final season at Spurs; scoring 30 goals in 38 league games.

Kane has continued in that fashion under Thomas Tuchel at Bayern, having already racked up five goals in five appearances across all competitions.

Tuchel, speaking even before he started scoring on a regular basis, tipped him to be a major player.

"[His influence] works on so many levels that you cannot realise because you do not witness it daily," said Tuchel last month.

"[He is important] in the changing room, on the pitch, [because of] his character, his professionalism, how hard he trains, [and] how after the defeat he was first on the pitch for training with the reserves."

Wolverhampton Wanderers are a club adapting to change after a hectic summer at Molineux.

The Old Gold said goodbye to a host of players and a manager during the summer break, with former boss Julen Lopetegui bidding farewell just five days before the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Gary O’Neil was a quick replacement for the former Real Madrid manager, trusted to lead the depleted squad into the Premier League season after a period of uncertainty.

Due to restrictions relating to Financial Fair Play (FFP), Wolves were forced to make sales to generate cash, however, due to such constraints, the players sold weren’t able to be sufficiently replaced in the market.

Despite having to wave away star names such as Matheus Nunes and club captain Ruben Neves, the Midlands side made over £100m in sales, balancing the books in order to put themselves in a more assured financial position going forward.

Like every team, Wolves have recorded both strong and weak movements in the market over the years, making questionable signings and sales, although the club have also struck gold in some instances.

One player, in particular, that of Benik Afobe, enjoyed a rich scoring streak at Molineux and was sold under bizarre circumstances, however, the club got the best out of his resources and made a profit.

How much did Wolves sign Benik Afobe for?

Signed in the January window of 2015, Wolves captured the signature of highly-rated striker Benik Afobe from Arsenal.

The then 21-year-old had graduated from the Gunners’ academy, making the move to the Old Gold in the Championship following an explosive loan spell in the division below with MK Dons.

In the first half of the 2014/15 League One campaign, the forward made a significant impression on those interested in his services, scoring ten goals in 22 appearances as well as six goals in just four League Cup appearances.

It was clear to see why Wolves eyed the striker, who had prevailed as a natural goalscorer following his experience on loan spells, making the move the ideal path for both club and player.

There was no worry of an adaptation for the Hale End graduate, who got stuck into life in the Midlands where he left off at MK Dons, scoring frequently and setting the tone for forwards at Molineux.

How many goals did Benik Afobe score?

In the second half of the 2014/15 campaign in the Championship, Afobe netted 13 goals and recorded five assists for his new club, showcasing just how prolific he could be in front of goal.

The 2015/16 campaign was a repeat of the season before, as the striker ended the season having represented two clubs in different leagues due to loan experience.

Afobe started the term at Molineux, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances in the Championship, however in January was swooped up on a permanent move to the Premier League to sign for Bournemouth, just one year after signing.

Wolves had reportedly turned down numerous bids for their star striker, however, a £10m bid could not be rejected, with the player wanting to experience playing in the top flight.

Before his departure, the manager at the time Kenny Jackett lauded his striker for his “professional” handling of being subject of transfer rumours, however, his desire to play in the Premier League proved to outweigh his desire to finish the season at Molineux.

It wouldn’t be the last time that Afobe and Wolves were together, as in 2018, the Congolese sensation was back in the Midlands on a half-season loan spell from the Cherries.

The move at the time was critical for the Midlands side, who were hoping to seal promotion to the Premier League, which they did by May, with Afobe contributing six goals in 16 appearances to help the club secure promotion.

What happened to Benik Afobe next?

In the summer of 2018, Afobe made the move back to Molineux permanently in a £10m transfer, however, what came next was a bizarre turn of events.

The striker had already yo-yo’d back and forth between clubs throughout his career, with the permanency of his final Wolves deal being far from secure.

After penning his new deal with the Old Gold, Afobe was attracting interest just four days later, with Stoke City rumoured to be hoping to make a move for the forward.

Within the first two weeks of June, the former Arsenal youngster had signed for Wolves and then moved to Stoke City to sign a six-month loan deal with an obligation to buy in January 2019.

The obligation to buy was a fee of £12m, meaning Wolves had made a £2m profit in a matter of days, with there being confusion with the deal as a whole.

From Wolves to Bournemouth, to Wolves, to Stoke, Afobe endured a whirlwind few years, which didn’t show any signs of settlement as he joined Bristol City on loan in 2019, followed by another loan in Turkey at Trabzonspor for the 2020/21 campaign.

On returning to Stoke from Turkey, it was unknown what would happen next for the striker, who spent the remainder of his playing days in England at Millwall.

An initial loan deal with the Lions turned into a one-year permanent contract, where he scored a total of 15 times in all competitions over the two seasons for the Championship side. That record was perhaps an indication that the Old Gold sold him at the right time.

Where is Benik Afobe now?

Despite being unsettled for the majority of his career, Afobe maintained his ability to score, netting a recorded 109 domestic goals at various levels and clubs.

The 30-year-old now resides and plays in the UAE and represents Al-Dhafra FC, whom he signed for in August from fellow UAE club Hatta.

Benik Afobe career history

From north London to the Middle East, Afobe’s career has taken him on a journey through football, playing for 14 clubs since signing his first professional contract at Arsenal in 2010.

His journey at Wolves amounted to 29 goals in 64 appearances in all competitions, with him fondly remembered at Molineux despite the stop-and-start feel of his time in gold.

A £2m profit worked out to be a strong business move for the Midlands club, who have maintained their Premier League status following the striker’s contribution to their push for promotion.

Once he overcame the early nervousness, Abdur Razzak got into the sort of groove he has become accustomed to in the domestic circuit off late and finished with 4 for 63 on his Test comeback

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur08-Feb-2018Abdur Razzak was understandably nervous before delivering his first ball on the first morning of the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka, but it wasn’t as bad as his ODI or Test debut more than 10 years ago. Once he overcame the early nervousness, Razzak got into the sort of groove he has become accustomed to in the domestic circuit off late.Razzak removed Dimuth Karunaratne in his first spell of five overs before starting his second with two wickets off successive deliveries. Danushka Gunathilaka got out to a poor shot, giving a catch to mid-off before Razzak ripped a beautiful delivery past Dinesh Chandimal to hit the off stump. He soon removed Kusal Mendis with a similar delivery, as he made his comeback after missing 22 Bangladesh Tests a memorable one.”Obviously, international cricket is at a different level compared to domestic tournaments so there was a bit of nerve at the start but it slowly went away,” Razzak said. “The heart was beating quite fast but not like earlier in my career. There’s always excitement, from the time I got selected to marking my run-up. Since you are playing for your country, you think differently.”Razzak, who played only 12 Tests between 2006 and 2014, took 244 wickets in first-class matches since being dropped four years ago. During this period, the second-highest wicket-taker, Sunzamul Islam, was 93 wickets behind him. Razzak took four 10-wicket hauls and was the highest wicket-taker in the calendar years 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the Bangladesh first-class circuit.He said that the big haul of wickets in the last four years of domestic first-class cricket helped him transform into a better bowler in the format. Razzak also credited those who picked him at this stage of his career, which he said offered hope to many senior players like him.”The biggest thing is performance, at whichever level, your confidence starts to go up,” he said. “The more you play first-class cricket, you get into the habit of being in the longer-format game.”I definitely feel that in the current climate in our cricket, when fitness is so important, I must thank the BCB for giving me the chance now. It means that nobody should ever give up. Everyone’s chances remain alive.”

ظهر كارلو أنشيلوتي في مؤتمر صحفي، منذ قليل، للحديث عن مباراة ريال مدريد المرتقبة غدًا في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “ويمبلي” مباراة ريال مدريد وبوروسيا دورتموند في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، نسخة 2023/24.

وقال أنشيلوتي في تصريحاته التي نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “دوري أبطال أوروبا ليس هاجسًا، الهوس هو المنافسة، وبذل قصارى جهدنا، كما فعلنا في هذه المواسم”.

وأضاف: “الفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا مهم للغاية، أعتقد أنه يمكن القول بالفعل إن موسم هذا الفريق كان ناجحًا للغاية، بغض النظر عما سيحدث غدًا”.

وواصل: “نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا هو أهم وأخطر مباراة في كرة القدم، عليك أن تستمتع بها على أكمل وجه، ولكن بعد ذلك تبدأ بالقلق من احتمال حدوث خطأ، نحن قريبون جدًا من أهم شيء، وهو الفوز باللقب”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أنشيلوتي يعلن حارس ريال مدريد أمام بوروسيا دورتموند في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأردف: “يجب أن أضع في أذهان اللاعبين مفاتيح ما يجب القيام به على أرض الملعب، كلما كان الأمر أكثر وضوحًا، كلما قل التوتر لدى اللاعبين”.

واستمر: “أنا سعيد جدًا بوجودي هنا، هذه ليست المرة الأولى وآمل ألا تكون الأخيرة، لقد أمضينا وقتًا ممتعًا، وبعد ذلك سيأتي القلق بشأن المباراة، أعلم أن لاعبي فريقي سيقدمون كل ما لديهم”.

واختتم: “سجل ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا ليس صدفة، إنه شيء خاص، يمكن أن يكون بسبب التاريخ والتقاليد وجودة لاعبي كرة القدم، لقد حدث ذلك مرات عديدة وهذا ليس صدفة”.

أكد جيان بييرو جاسبريني، مدرب أتالانتا، أحقية فريقه في التتويج بالدوري الأوروبي، مشيرًا إلى مسيرته في المسابقة.

ونجح أتالانتا في الفوز على باير ليفركوزن بثلاثية دون رد، ليتوج بطلاً لـ الدوري الأوروبي 2024.

وقال جاسبريني في تصريحات نشرها موقع “يويفا” الرسمي: “أعتقد أننا كتبنا التاريخ، أيضًا للطريقة التي فزنا بها، لقد كان أمرًا استثنائيًا”.

وأضاف: “لقد هزمنا ليفربول، وسبورتنج لشبونة الذي فاز بالدوري البرتغالي، عندما واجهنا ليفربول كانوا في المركز الأول في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والآن أبطال الدوري الألماني، رائع! الأولاد كانوا غير عاديين، أداء لا ينسى”.

وتابع: “كثيرًا ما نلعب بثلاثة مهاجمين، كانت جميع الظروف متاحة، كان علينا أن نحاول وأن نكون خطيرين، إنها مباراة نهائي والشيء الوحيد المهم هو الفوز، كنا نعلم أن اللعب بهذه الطريقة يمكن أن يمنحنا فوائد، كانت مباراة غير عادية”.

وأكد: “الطريقة التي فعلنا بها الأمر كانت أهم شيء، لقد استحقينا ذلك دون أدنى شك أمام مثل هذا الفريق القوي، الفوز بالدوري الأوروبي هو إنجاز استثنائي”.

اقرأ أيضًا | لوكمان بعد التتويج بالدوري الأوروبي: لازمني الحظ في المرة الثالثة

وقيل لجاسبريني إن الناس لن يسألوا بعد الآن متى سيضع بعض الميداليات الذهبية على رف الموقد الخاص به.

ورد مدرب أتالانتا في تصريحاته لـ “سكاي سبورتس”: “لا أفهم ذلك ولا أعتقد أنني الآن أفضل مما كنت عليه بعد ظهر اليوم”.

وأشار: “يوفنتوس فاز بكأس إيطاليا، وإنتر ميلان فاز بالدوري الإيطالي، لكن بولونيا فاز بالمقعد في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وفاز ليتشي بالبقاء في الدوري الإيطالي وعدم الهبوط”.

وسُئل هل سيقيمون تمثالاً له في بيرجامو أم سيطلقون اسمه على أحد الشوارع، وأجاب: “لا تكن سخيفاً، هناك وقت لذلك!”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians empatou com o Fortaleza em 1 a 1, na Arena, graças a um belo gol marcado por Luan, no segundo tempo, que garantiu a igualdade ao Timão.Com atuações abaixo das expectativas , o camisa sete perdeu a titularidade para Araos, mas entrou na segunda etapa e deixou o dele.

Depois do gol, chamou atenção a comemoração do jogador, feita de maneira tímida e em forma de desabafo. No entanto, o atacante negou que tenha comemorado dessa forma por conta das críticas que vem recebendo da Fiel torcida corintiana.

– A gente precisava do resultado, a comemoração foi para buscarmos logo o segundo gol – afirmou à TV Globo na saída do jogo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoFortaleza abre o placar, mas Timão busca o empate com belo gol de LuanBrasileirão26/08/2020CorinthiansATUAÇÕES: Luan faz belo gol e salva o Corinthians de derrota em casaCorinthians27/08/2020CorinthiansApós empate do Corinthians, Cássio sai do gol para celebrar com LuanCorinthians26/08/2020

Questionado sobre a condição de reserva na partida desta quarta, o atacante foi enfático e afirmou que nunca faltará determinação da parte dele enquanto estiver em campo.

– Acho que isso é a comissão que vê, a gente conversa e nos treinos eles sabem, se pegar os números, eu tento me dedicar ao máximo para ajudar. Eu tento me dedicar ao máximo para dar o meu melhor ao Corinthians. Toda vez que entrar em campo vou me dedicar ao máximo para ajudar o time – finalizou.

Com o empate desta quarta-feira, o Corinthians fica na 12ª colocação, com 5 pontos ganhos. A equipe volta a campo para enfrentar o São Paulo, às 11h, no próximo domingo, no Morumbi.

Asanka Gurusinha hopes players with concerns will reconsider their stance given team is “flying in and flying out”

Madushka Balasuriya17-Oct-2017Sri Lanka Cricket is hopeful of naming a strong team for the third and final T20I against Pakistan in Lahore – the first fixture the team will play in Pakistan since 2009, when their team bus was attacked by armed gunman.Players had raised concerns about travelling to Pakistan, but the board on Monday confirmed that it will be sending a team across. There have been questions around whether SLC would be forced to name a weakened side if players pulled out of the game – limited-overs captain Upul Tharanga has already withdrawn from the squad – however team manager Asanka Gurusinha felt a competitive team could be named.”We have to wait and see who the players will be. SLC is expected to tell [chief of selectors] Graeme [Labrooy] what the next step forward is,” Gurusinha said. “There are lots of positives taking place. It is not nice to name them, but there has been positive feedback from most of the players.”On top of security assurances from Pakistan’s cricket board and government, SLC will be looking to further allay player fears by only staying in Pakistan for 24 hours. SLC has also said its president Thilanga Sumathipala will accompany the team to Lahore, while the board officials had stated earlier that Sri Lanka’s players had been promised the same level of security afforded to the World XI team in September, and that the ICC was also willing to send its match officials to Pakistan.Gurusinha, speaking ahead of Wednesday’s third ODI, said he was hopeful the players who had raised concerns would “seriously look at” the precautions being taken before coming to a final decision.”SLC will be speaking to the players to find the best way to handle it. Seems like we will be there in Lahore only for 24 hours. We are flying in and flying out. We are hoping that some of the players who had concerns will seriously take a look at it.”Gurusinha acknowledged that it was a tough decision to go through with the plan despite player concerns, but explained that Pakistan’s support for Sri Lanka during the 1996 World Cup coupled with the security assurances meant there was little chance of the venue being changed.”We have to look at both sides. SLC was concerned with security. I am yet to talk to the board, but once security was cleared the board had to send its players.”[Pakistan] came down to help us two weeks after the Central Bank bombing [in Colombo in 1996]. Had they not come down, I am not too sure whether Kenya and Zimbabwe would have honoured their World Cup fixtures.”The security [in Pakistan] has been cleared. The team will seriously look at it and I am hopeful players will be happy with the situation.”A preliminary 22-man squad is expected to be named on Wednesday, which will be cut down to 15 by October 20.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in making a move for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer as Erik ten Hag aims to significantly bolster his attacking options.

The Old Trafford side will have only signed Mason Mount during the current transfer window and with the start of the Premier League season just over three weeks away, the Dutchman doesn’t have long in order to make another few signings.

Are Manchester United interested in Federico Chiesa?

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), United are the latest club to signal their interest in the Juventus winger.

Ten Hag will face some competition from Liverpool and Newcastle United for Chiesa, although with Champions League football gracing the Old Trafford pitch next season, it could be the ideal incentive in order to lure him to Manchester.

If the Serie A side were to receive a bid of €50m (£43m) for the 25-year-old whiz, then he ‘can leave’ Italy and the Red Devils may be tempted to launch a bid in the coming weeks.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

Before suffering a serious ACL injury in January 2022, Chiesa was primed to be the next darling of Italian football, especially with his exploits during his time at Fiorentina and with the national team.

The left-winger emerged onto the scene during the 2016/17 season and eventually registered 59 goal contributions – 34 goals and 25 assists – across just 153 games before joining the Old Lady in 2021.

He played a key role for Italy as they won their first European Championship since 1968 when he scored twice during Euro 2021, and it certainly appeared as though he was ready to explode and develop into one of the finest players in Italy.

It hasn’t quite worked out that way due to his injury and since returning to action, Chiesa managed just four goals and six assists last term, yet he could certainly be an upgrade on current United left-winger Jadon Sancho, with the Englishman struggling during his stint at the club.

Considering United shelled out a fee of £73m for the former Borussia Dortmund starlet, he has yet to live up to the expectation, scoring only 12 times and grabbing six assists across his two seasons at the club.

Following a promising start to last term, Sancho missed a large chunk of the campaign due to physical and mental health issues, leading to his failure to claim a place in the England squad for the 2022 World Cup.

Although Chiesa also failed to sparkle last season, he still registered more shots per 90 (2.75 to 1.12), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.63 to 0.48) and was successful with a higher percentage of take-ons (53.3% to 42.3%) than Sancho, and although he didn’t score as much as league goals as the Englishman (six to two), it appears as though he posed a bigger attacking threat in terms of total shots and his ability to take on defenders.

Once hailed as a “diamond” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Chiesa also had more league assists than the 23-year-old (five to three) and missed fewer big chances (one to two), suggesting he is able to create more chances for his teammates and there is no doubt that if he returns to his pre-injury form, he could be an upgrade on Sancho next season.

رد مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، رونالد أراوخو، على تصريحات وانتقادات زميله، إلكاي جوندوجان، بعد الخروج من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتلقى أراوخو انتقادات من العديد حول قراره بعرقلة، برادلي باركولا، لاعب باريس سان جيرمان في مباراة الإياب في دور ربع النهائي من البطولة.

وتحصل الأوروجواياني على الطرد مبكرًا مما جعل برشلونة يلعب أكثر من 60 دقيقة منقوصًا وهو ما حول المباراة لصالح باريس سان جيرمان الذي قلب تأخره بهدف لفوز بنتيجة 4-1.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الإعلان عن حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في الدوري الإسباني

وخرج جوندوجان بعد نهاية المباراة في تصريحات صحفية، وقال: “كان يجب أن يقوم بهذا الفعل إذا كان لديه القدرة على قطع الكرة”.

وعلق أراوخو على الطرد في حفل إطلاق كتابه الخاص منذ قليل، وقال: “حزين مثل كل المشجعين بسبب الخروج من دوري أبطال أوروبا”.

وتابع: “لقد كان الأمر في أيدينا، طردي كان بسبب كرة مشتركة ولكن كانت نسبتها 50% للحصول عليها، والحكم قرر أن يطردني بسبب الخطأ الذي ارتكبته، ولكني لا أشعر بأنني المسئول هكذا سارت المباراة”.

وعن انتقادات جوندوجان: “أفضل الاحتفاظ لنفسي بما أعتقده عنها، لدي قيم معينة يجب على الآخرين احترامها”.

ومستقبله مع برشلونة: “أنا سعيد مع الفريق، المفاوضات تسير بشكل جيد مع الإدارة، في نهاية الموسم سنتحدث سويًا”.

وعن مباراة الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد: “مواجهة مهمة نعتبرها للثأر، نريد أن ننافس بقوة على الدوري الإسباني”.

The ICC’s new constitution moved a step closer to reality on a dramatic late afternoon in Dubai, as cricket’s Full Members exercised their collective will to outvote the BCCI

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Apr-2017

The ICC’s new constitution moved a step closer to reality on a dramatic afternoon in Dubai, as cricket’s Full Members exercised their collective will to outvote the BCCI.The Indian board was the only Full Member to object to the new financial model, and was one of only two Full Members to vote against the new governance changes. The financial model, with which the BCCI has been unhappy, received overwhelming support from Full Members, who voted to pass it 9-1 in favour, while the proposed governance changes to in the new constitution were passed by an 8-2 margin.The next step as far as implementing the constitution now will come at the annual conference in June, where it will be approved formally after being ratified. That day will mark the formal end of the Big Three era, two years after it came into effect.The day’s biggest reverberations will come from the failure of the BCCI to push through a financial model they could be happy with. Indeed, not only did they fail to get the $570 million cut from ICC revenues that they demanded when they arrived in Dubai, they failed to secure the compromise offer that the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar had put forward.In that, he was willing to up their share by approximately $100 million. Instead, in the model that has been voted through the Indian board’s share from ICC revenues in the next rights cycle will be $293 million, a little more than half the amount the Indian board wanted.The behind-the-scenes developments in how BCCI was muscled out offer an intriguing contrast to past ICC meetings where the BCCI has held sway. Manohar arrived in Dubai last weekend and is understood to have had lengthy meetings with BCCI office bearers as well its chief executive Rahul Johri. The ICC’s compromise offer, which would fetch the BCCI nearly $400 million, was made to Choudhury by Manohar, the most prominent figure behind the new changes. That deal, incidentally, was one the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators (CoA) – which is overseeing the board’s operations -was happy with when Manohar ran it by them in March.The BCCI was asked to respond on Monday, as the ICC working group was meeting to finalise the resolutions based on the feedback given by all Member boards including the Associates. The BCCI then approached most of the major Full Members with their counter offer: they get $570 million but none of the other Full Members get anything less than what they were assured in Manohar’s model. But the other Full Members stood firm and rejected the BCCI’s offer, leaving the Indian board in a tight position hours before the ICC Board meeting began on Wednesday morning.”The alternative left for them was to adopt the middle ground,” one official familiar with the situation said. The BCCI was told it would do well to consider Manohar’s offer. “It is INR 700 crore ($100 million), and they were told to consider hard before making a move.”Another source said: “Shashank was trying to get them (BCCI) across the line, but they declined.”Though BCCI office bearers have previously blamed Manohar for harming their interests, Choudhury did not take an aggressive stance during the ICC Board meeting. Officials present said he was “friendly and very charming,” and that he said though he wanted to find a solution he had to disagree with the finance model and the governance structure.”He was restating the BCCI’s reservations expressed last month,” one source said. Neither Choudhury nor any of the BCCI administrators in India made a statement in response to the developments in Dubai. According to PTI, the BCCI will call a special general meeting to decide on the next step.Ultimately, only marginally less significant than the financial model going through was the fact that a major portion of the governance changes did so as well, and with such majority: only Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) joined the BCCI in not supporting it. Some will be tweaked and the ICC did agree to remove one significant proposal – the potential reclassification of Full Member status to Associate membership if a set of criteria was not met when a board was evaluated. Many Full Members including the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Zimbabwe Cricket and SLC were against it.But also approved was a resolution to expand the composition of the ICC Board which sees an increase in the number of votes from 10 (Full Members only) to 15 – 10 Full Members, three Associates, one independent female director, and the chairman. Potentially, that could change the nature of decision-making at the highest levels of the game, making it more difficult for just one or two boards to dominate. On the day at least, that message resonated loudest.