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Tottenham Hotspur are among the main contenders to sign Borussia Monchenglacbach defender Ko Itakura, who is open to leaving the German club this summer, according to a report from Sky Sports.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Tottenham's next priority target is a centre-back, having held discussions over both Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba, with talks over personal terms with the former's camp now at an advanced stage.

While Spurs have progressed in talks with the Wolfsburg defender, the same report claims that Tapsoba is seen as the more ready-made addition to Ange Postecoglou's defence, due to his ability on the ball, strength and acceleration.

That said, the Burkina Faso international's value is much higher than Van De Ven's, with the aforementioned report detailing that Bayer Leverkusen could look to hold out for a fee of around £50m this summer.

Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo may be a more affordable option for the Lilywhites, with journalist Fabrice Hawkins previously claiming the Cottagers may sanction his departure for as little as €10m (£8.6m).

Sky Sports report that Itakura is now emerging as a target for Tottenham, however, there may be competition for his signature from Serie A champions Napoli, who are also named as one of the main contenders.

The centre-back is threatening to leave Monchengladbach this summer, despite only joining the club in the summer of 2022, with reporter Florian Plettenberg adding:

"Itakura is open to a change. I hear that very clearly."

The Japan international is a player that Postecoglou knows well from the time he spent at Yokohama F Marinos, having also attempted to sign him for Celtic in the summer of 2021.

Who is Ko Itakura?

The 26-year-old made his first-team breakthrough with Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale, before eventually completing a £1m move to Manchester City, however, he failed to make a single appearance for Pep Guardiola's side.

Instead, the Yokohama-born defender spent time out on loan at Schalke, subsequently joining Borussia Monchengladbach for a fee of around £4.5m last summer, despite interest from the likes of Bournemouth and Fulham.

Having made it clear he would consider leaving, the former Man City man may finally get his chance to play in the Premier League, with Tottenham very much in the mix for his signature, and he could be a solid acquisition for Postecoglou.

Former Monchengladbach manager Daniel Farke praised the £25k-per-week defender last season, saying:

"Ko Itakura is another important player for us. He is a top character and has become a leading figure, despite only being here a short time. He has been outstanding so far and long may it continue."

Last season, the Monchengladbach ace averaged a 7.01 SofaScore match rating in the Bundesliga, the fourth-highest figure in the squad, and he ranks in the 95th percentile for blocks completed per 90 over the past year.

Itakura is also a versatile player, who is capable of playing in defensive midfield, indicating he could potentially slot in for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who faces an uncertain future in north London, and by the looks of things, a move for Itakura is one to watch.

Nottinghamshire took less than an hour to complete a ten wicket victory over Leicestershire on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground

ECB Reporters Network09-Apr-2017
ScorecardJames Pattinson completed a fine allround match•Marty Melville/AFP/Getty ImagesNottinghamshire took less than an hour to complete a ten wicket victory over Leicestershire on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match at the Fischer County Ground.Resuming on 51-6, still needing another 27 runs to make the visitors back again, Leicestershire’s remaining batsmen could not cope with the pace of James Pattinson.Night-watchman Gavin Griffiths was first to go, edging Pattinson to third slip, where Greg Smith took a fine diving two-handed catch diving to his right.Zak Chappell was caught behind off the inside edge, and Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove mis-pulled Luke Fletcher to Michael Lumb at midwicket. Pattinson then ripped out Clint McKay’s off-stump, giving the Victorian figures of 5-29 for the innings, to go with 3-55 in Leicestershire’s first innings.Pattinson also hit a first-class career best 89 not out, completing an outstanding debut for Nottinghamshire, whose win was their first in the county championship since beating Surrey in the first game of the 2016 season.The defeat completes a deflating few days for Leicestershire, who were deducted 16 points on the eve of the season following an incident in their match against Loughborough MCCU.Leicestershire head coach Pierre de Bruyn: “I feel we came across a very good side. We prepared accordingly and on the first day managed to get ourselves out of trouble and then put them under pressure with the ball on day two.”But we are better than this and I will continue to back these guys to bounce back. Facing the likes of James Pattinson and Stuart Broad, world-class bowlers, sets a benchmark. But we know we weren’t good enough.”It’s the first game and I need to back these players. Our noses are out of joint, but we’re not going to panic over selection. Every player is in the mix.”It’s been a very tough few days with the 16 point deduction on the eve of the match and then this result. But this dressing room has character, we’ll have a good week of preparation and we will fight back.”

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, as Monchi eyes his first transfer window masterclass during his first window in charge.

The Spaniard alongside former colleague Unai Emery will fuse together to ensure the Villans are in good stead ahead of next season, as the Midlands club prepare to endeavour on their first European journey since 2010.

Laporte has been on Villa’s radar since earlier this month, when 90min revealed the club’s interest in the central defender.

An update provided by Football Insider this week cemented the Claret and Blues’ desire to sign the 29-year-old, claiming that the club had ‘set sights’ on the Manchester City star and were ‘considering a move’.

The report adds that the Spaniard ‘ticks a lot of boxes’ wanted by Emery, with the four-time Europa League-winning manager hoping to sign a left-sided centre-back this summer.

Valued at £60m by the treble winners, as per the Mirror, the defender could be Villa’s record-breaking signing this summer, however, he’s not the only centre-back linked to Villa Park.

Indeed, Pau Torres looks as though he's also on his way to the Midlands, with reports emerging on Thursday that an agreement is in place to land the player from Villarreal.

The links to the two centre-backs is exciting news for the Villans, who could see a complete shift in defence with two experienced upgrades potentially incoming.

What could Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres offer Vila?

While Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings have been a revelation at the back for Emery, the Spaniard could present Villa Park with two world-class signings in a rebuild of the defence this summer.

Hailed as the “best left central defender in the world” by treble-winning manager Pep Guardiola, the City star could be just what Emery requires to take Villa forward.

Despite falling down the pecking order at the Etihad, Laporte possesses quality that could see him dominate in most defences in Europe, seeing him lauded a “beast” by journalist Muhammad Butt.

The 29-year-old won an average of 60% of his total duels in the Premier League last season, cementing himself as a competent defender before anything else, however, his attributes go way beyond his defensive capabilities.

Similarly to Torres, Laporte flexes a powerful progressive ability, acting as a defender that can transition the ball upfield competently, in skills honed by the genius of Guardiola.

When comparing the two Villa targets based on their respective seasons and minutes via FBref, it makes for fascinating reading for those associated with the Midlands club, who could see a complete revamp of the defence as they know it.

While Torres’ 4.30 clearances and 1.74 aerials won along with Laporte’s 2.72 clearances and 2.18 aerials won per 90 communicate their defensive knowhow, their competency on the ball highlights just how much they could add to Villa Park.

As per FBref, the Villarreal gem averaged a monstrous 5.81 progressive passes and 2.24 progressive carries per 90 in La Liga this season, closely followed by the City ace who scored an average of 7.70 progressive passes and 2.72 progressive carries per 90.

By introducing two experienced players in quality and efficiency, Emery could equip his side with strength that could bolster all areas of the field, with two players boasting the ability to move the ball and dictate play from the back. This is surely a mouthwatering prospect for everyone associated with the club.

يترقب عشاق ومتابعو كرة القدم المصرية والعربية مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس مصر موسم 2022-2023.

المباراة يستضيفها ملعب استاد الأول بارك بمدينة الرياض- المملكة العربية السعودية، في السابعة والنصف من مساء الجمعة.

واستطاع الزمالك الوصول إلى المباراة النهائية بعد الفوز على بيراميدز بركلات الترجيح في نصف النهائي.

تركي آل الشيخ عن كأس مصر: سيكون هناك فعاليات على أعلى مستوى.. ويوجه رسالة للجمهور

بينما صعد الأهلي إلى النهائي عقب تخطي عقبة إنبي بنتيجة 3-0 بالمواجهة التي أقيمت في أكتوبر الماضي.

ويخوض الزمالك مباراته بقيادة فنية حديثة العهد بقيادة جوزيه جوميز الذي تولى المهمة في ثلاث مباريات سابقة فقط، فيما ألغيت الرابعة أمام سوار كوياه الغيني.

أما الأهلي حامل لقب النسخة الماضية من كأس مصر بعد الفوز على بيراميدز بنتيجة 2-1، تحت قيادة فنية مستمرة لـ مارسيل كولر، الذي يطمح في تكرار إنجازه. الأهلي والزمالك يبحثان عن اللقب الفاصل

ويملك ناديا الأهلي والزمالك ذوي الشعبية الأكبر في مصر، باعًا طويلًا ببطولة الكأس الأقدم في التاريخ، إذ التقيا في 32 مباراة في بطولة كأس مصر فقط.

وحقق الأهلي 16 انتصارًا فيما فاز الزمالك في 11 لقاء، وسيطرت نتيجة التعادل على 5 مباريات، بينهم مباراتي نهائي تقاسم القطبين لقبهما.

واصطدم الأهلي والزمالك في مباراة نهائي الكأس في 20 مرة، تقاسم الفريقين الانتصار والألقاب إذ حقق المارد الأحمر الفوز في تسع مباريات وانتصر الفارس الأبيض في مثلهم وتعادلا في مواجهتين أسفرا عن تقاسم اللقبين، قبل ابتكار ركلات الترجيح.

ونجح الأهلي في تحقيق لقب كأس مصر في 38 مرة، كان أولها موسم 1923–24، وآخرها الموسم الأخير 2021–22، بينما استطاع الزمالك الفوز بكأس مصر في 28 مرة سابقة، كان أولها 1921–22، وآخرها 2020-21.

KP Bhaskar, Delhi’s head coach, has said a systematic overhaul of Delhi cricket is needed if they are to stay competitive in the Ranji Trophy. His comments followed Delhi’s meek surrender to Karnataka inside eight sessions in Kolkata. Bhaskar, who himself had played 95-first class matches over 14 years and was a prolific run-scorer for a strong Delhi side in the ’80s, termed the current system “ineffective”.The chaos surrounding their build-up to the domestic season every year, he said, was one of the reasons why Delhi struggled. The chaos isn’t entirely of the team’s making; administrative hassles, Bhaskar said, couldn’t entirely be looked at in isolation as it impacted both age-group and senior sides competing under the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) banner.This year, the coach’s appointment was made with less than a month to go for the season, and the team didn’t get together until two days before their Ranji Trophy opener against Assam in Vadodara. A two-day practice game that was scheduled for September 26 and 27 against Uttar Pradesh was called off because the DDCA couldn’t find a ground to host the match. This even as curators and ground staff threatened a strike for unpaid wages and bonuses.”I got the team two days before the season started,” Bhaskar said, when asked about Delhi’s preparation when compared to some of the other sides which had pre-season conditioning camps and tournaments. “There was not much of mental preparation. Whatever was happening was whatever they were doing on their own, so I really don’t know. That is something which we need to work on. The system has to fall into place; we have to have more opportunities of playing exposure, and try to build a team before getting into the Ranji Trophy.”Last year, too, the team had to wait till the eve of their Ranji Trophy opener to know who the coach was. Ajay Jadeja, initially appointed head coach, didn’t travel with the team because he felt “his opinions and inputs don’t matter”. He was replaced by Vijay Dahiya. Then there was also the issue of factions within the DDCA naming three different probables lists for the Ranji Trophy. Their pre-season camp was further mired in controversy, with nobody to oversee the initial nets sessions at the Feroz Shah Kotla and no certainty over who was running the team.Expecting the players to perform without a proper system in place, Bhaskar said, was tough. Among the things that needed to change, he said, was the system of merely playing in 40-over games in the build up to the Ranji Trophy. “Look at our batting,” he said. “We don’t have three-day formats; we don’t really play in pre-season tournaments like Buchi Babu or KSCA invitational. So currently we are only finding ways to work around it.”Another aspect Bhaskar wanted looked into was the talent pool; he said it wasn’t being streamlined properly because of selection issues. “Last season, we had 45 different players playing for Delhi Under-23s. So think of it, how long it is going to take for the talented players from there to reach the Ranji Trophy?”Tomorrow, if things don’t improve, we may have 50 players playing across eight games in the Ranji Trophy. Things need to be put in place, but at least we’ve made a start now. Things are looking good. Justice Mudgal has taken the initiative [of cleaning up the DDCA mess]. Let’s hope things improve.”

Tottenham Hotspur dream of hiring Roberto De Zerbi as their next manager, but a move looks highly unlikely right now, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's going on in Spurs' manager search?

The Lilywhites have had another difficult search for a new manager, with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Arne Slot being ruled out in recent weeks, and a successor to Antonio Conte looks no closer to being appointed.

Alternate options reportedly being explored include Celtic's Ange Postecoglou and former Spain boss Luis Enrique, but it has now been revealed that they see the Brighton boss as their ideal appointment.

Speaking on The House Of Champions, Romano revealed that whilst the club dream of De Zerbi, it does not seem that a move will materialise this summer.

"From what I heard in the last few days, they dream of Roberto De Zerbi, but this is almost impossible because Roberto De Zerbi wants to stay at Brighton," he stated.

"He's already planning for next season, they will sign [Mahmoud] Dahoud, they will sign many players like Joao Pedro and James Milner, so they are already thinking of next season and Roberto De Zerbi is not changing."

Would De Zerbi join Spurs?

The Italian has been a revelation at Brighton, arriving during the season following the shock departure of Graham Potter, and has helped the Seagulls qualify for Europe, securing a top-six finish against the odds.

Whilst Brighton have been smart in the transfer market, making shrewd signings such as Julio Enciso and Kaoru Mitoma, whilst also selling the likes of Marc Cucurella for heavy profits, the 43-year-old's coaching has helped get the best out of players he inherited such as Solly March and Lewis Dunk.

It is easy to see why Spurs would be interested in a coach as impressive as De Zerbi who typically plays with a 4-2-3-1 formation, but it is difficult to imagine a scenario where De Zerbi abandons his project at Brighton to move to north London.

Brighton have finished above Spurs, and have confirmed their qualification for the Europa League. Chairman Tony Bloom has worked well with De Zerbi to build his team, and the conditions at Brighton are all set for him to thrive.

Spurs meanwhile, have no director of football following the dismissal of Fabio Paratici, could miss out on European qualification entirely, and could lose their star player in Harry Kane.

Daniel Levy is struggling to appoint a new manager, and the longer this continues, the worse it will be for Spurs, and the contrast between the moods at both clubs shows why De Zerbi is unlikely to want the job at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

MS Dhoni believes forced breaks owing to his Test retirement have helped him remain fresh in his bid to prolong his international career

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-20162:58

Hope fans will enjoy the moment – Dhoni

MS Dhoni, India’s limited-overs captain, believes his break from international cricket has given him ample time to work on his fitness. Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket in December 2014, was last involved with the national team during a short limited-overs series in Zimbabwe in June.”When you have a break, it’s easy to maintain fitness because there’s enough preparation time,” Dhoni said in Lauderhill ahead of the first Twenty20 against West Indies on Saturday. “There has been a lot of rain in India, which is a good thing since we needed that. So I trained indoors with the bowling machine when it came to the skill aspect.”Dhoni, who will be involved in just a handful of games in India colours this season owing to a prolonged Test run at home from September to March, believes the breaks have helped him remain fresh in his quest to prolong his international career.”During a packed season, maintaining fitness becomes tough because you can’t put too much effort into it. You’re constantly monitoring workloads. When you have a break, you can plan your schedules. That’s what I’ve done so that it helps prolong my career. Overall, it’s important to relish the in-between time.”Back from the break during which he had briefly mentored his state side Jharkhand at a first-division tournament in Chennai, apart from promoting his yet-to-be-released biopic, Dhoni is now faced with the prospect of facing the current World T20 champions, which he felt would be “quite a challenge”.”West Indies is an extraordinary team in the limited-overs format,” he said. “Sometimes having one allrounder can give you balance. They have two or three. Power-hitters become crucial in the smaller formats, and they have so many of them. They also play an entertaining brand of cricket, so it will be a challenge for us.”Among the things he is most looking forward to on his return, Dhoni said, was the opportunity of working with new head coach Anil Kumble, from whom he had taken over the Test captaincy in 2008.”He is a straightforward guy who will tell you what he has to to your face,” Dhoni said. “I learnt a lot from him while playing with him. One of the things that struck me was how he planned dismissals and went about his game. I was amazed at his consistency and the thinking aspect he brought to the game. It will also help him as a coach because you can’t have the same plan across different formats.”I feel, the more time I spend with him, the more I’ll get to know him. I’ve known him as a player. Now, I will know him as a coach. We’ve seen previously how people are slightly different in both cases. He’s calm, composed and confident, and that will only help the team.”

أعرب أحمد سيد زيزو لاعب منتخب مصر الأول، عن سعادته بالتأهل إلى دور الـ16 ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 كوت ديفوار.

وكان منتخب مصر قد تعادل أمام الرأس الأخضر بهدفين لكل فريق، ليتأهل كوصيف للمجموعة الثانية برصيد 3 نقاط.

فيديو | مصر تواصل سلسلة التعادلات أمام الرأس الأخضر وتتأهل لدور الـ16 في كأس أمم إفريقيا

وقال زيزو في تصريحات تلفزيونية بي إن سبورتس عقب المباراة: “نحمد الله والمهم أننا تأهلنا، بالطبع ليس كما كنا نريد ولكن تأهلنا”.

وأضاف: “منتخب مصر اسم كبير ودائمًا ننافس على الصدارة، لكن الحمد لله حالفنا التوفيق والحظ في التأهل”.

وأردف: “تحدثنا مع بعض وقلنا لابد أن نبني على ما فعلناه، نحن صعدنا وسنحاول تصحيح الأخطاء والبناء على الإيجابيات”.

فيديو | نتائج مباريات كأس أمم إفريقيا اليوم الاثنين 22-1-2024.. وترتيب مجموعات البطولة

وأتم: “سنأخذ المباريات خطوة بخطوة، كل المباريات أصبحت قوية ونفعل ما علينا لكي نصل للنهائي ونتوج بالبطولة”.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale faces a crucial summer transfer window in charge of the Ibrox side. If he manages to move on the deadwood and bring in five or six new players, the Gers could challenge for honours, however, if the recruitment is poor and this shows in the results, he may not have long in the hotseat.

The Englishman has confirmed Alfredo Morelos is leaving at the end of the season and strengthening the forward area is probably the most important aspect of the window.

Kemar Roofe simply cannot be trusted across the course of a whole campaign, despite his obvious qualities in front of goal.

The 30-year-old has netted 36 goals in 78 matches for the club, scoring important goals against Braga in the Europa League last season and Aberdeen in the League Cup Semi-final in January, yet he has missed more games than he has played.

The forward has missed 84 matches through injury since arriving in Glasgow in 2020, so it is evident Beale can't rely on him.

The Light Blues have shown interest in Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres according to Football Insider and he could be an ideal option to replace Roofe.

Could Rangers sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer?

In terms of selling arguably their most prized asset, much will depend on whether the Sky Blues are promoted to the Premier League via the playoffs over the coming weeks.

If they remain in the Championship, it could make a move much easier for Rangers, though the club have valued him at a staggering £20m and this may put the club's hierarchy off a potential move.

There is no doubting his talent, however, as the Swede has been in blistering form this term, where he has notched 21 goals in the second-tier whilst also providing ten assists. This ruthless nature could see him thrive at Ibrox next season if he made the move North.

His game isn’t all about scoring goals either, as evidenced by his 1.8 key passes per game. Gyokeres has also created nine big chances across 46 matches and this would suggest that he may actually be similar to Roofe in terms of all round ability.

Maxime Biamou – a teammate of his in the west Midlands – once dubbed the £4.5k-per-week machine as “unplayable” earlier this season and if he continues this rich vein of form, he will end up in the Premier League sooner rather than later.

Having scored three goals in just 13 appearances for Sweden, Gyokeres' experience at international level means he could settle into life in Glasgow with ease and although losing Morelos is a blow, it could pave the way for a new striker to make their own name at Rangers.

West Ham United are ready to table a bid for Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, providing they avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to a report from Football Insider.

Do West Ham need to sign a new right-back?

West Ham may need to enter the market for a new right-back in the summer, given that they have not yet chosen to extend Vladimir Coufal's contract, which runs out in the summer, by an additional two years, despite having that option available.

Thilo Kehrer has slotted in at right-back nine times in the Premier League this season, however, he has failed to live up to expectations since arriving for an initial £10.1m from Paris Saint-Germain, ranked 25th in the squad for his average Sofascore rating.

Wan-Bissaka has been a long-term target for the Hammers, with a loan move being touted last summer, while he was also of interest in the January transfer window, and they could soon formalise their interest with an official offer.

According to a report from Football Insider, West Ham are monitoring the 25-year-old ahead of the summer, and are ready to table a bid if they avoid relegation to the Championship.

The defender has fallen down the pecking order behind Diogo Dalot at Man United, with the Red Devils also in the market for a new right-back in the summer, which means he could be shown the exit door.

The Irons are not the only Premier League team interested in signing the "monster" full-back, as former club Crystal Palace are also keeping tabs on the £90k-p/w ace.

Would Aaron Wan-Bissaka be a good signing for West Ham?

It seems a little unusual that Man United appear so willing to let him go, as the 25-year-old has impressed whenever he has been given the opportunity this season.

Most recently, the former Palace man received a 7.8 Sofascore rating, the second-highest of any United player, in a 2-0 victory against Everton, having made two tackles and won five ground duels.

The Croydon-born ace has recorded stellar defensive stats over the past year, ranking in the 89th percentile for interceptions per 90, and in the 85th for clearances, with both of these figures better than Coufal's in the same time period.

West Ham will undoubtedly need to strengthen at right-back this summer, and Wan-Bissaka would be an excellent addition to the squad, with proven Premier League experience, having made 143 appearances in the competition.