Tottenham Hotspur could well be ready to make their move for Gent striker, Gift Orban, with speculation still rife regarding the future of Harry Kane at N17.

What's the latest on Orban to Tottenham?

According to The Times, the Lilywhites are said to be 'resigned' to the prospect of losing Kane to German giants Bayern Munich this summer, with the Bundesliga outfit seemingly ready to lodge an increased £94.5m offer for the England skipper.

As per the report, that potential exit for the 30-year-old has ensured that the north Londoners are now keen to 'step up' their interest in young Orban, with the 21-year-old set to help provide further depth behind Richarlison in that number nine berth.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The piece adds that the Nigerian sensation – who has been valued at around €30m (£26m) – could be one of three further deals that Ange Postecoglou and co look to complete this month, alongside the signing of a new centre-back and midfielder.

How good is Gift Orban?

It would appear that Tottenham have already begun to plan for life after Kane, with Postecoglou having overseen the signing of Argentine teenager, Alejo Veliz from Rosario Central, with the 19-year-old joining on a £13m deal after scoring 11 goals in 23 league games this season.

The addition of Orban, however, could allow the Premier League side to find a perhaps more ready-made option due to his prior experience in European football, with the youngster having hit 41 goals in just 48 games in all competitions during his time with Gent and at former club, Stabaek, in Norway.

That prolific start to life at senior level has seen the 5 foot 10 ace lauded as a "superb finisher" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the respected insider also dubbing him a "poacher" and a player that is simply "born to score".

Such poaching prowess could well ensure that the Nigeria U23 international proves to be a dream heir to former Spurs hero, Jermain Defoe in north London, with the Englishman having also been a typically ruthless and clinical presence across his two spells at the club.

While like Orban, the 5 foot 7 sensation was hardly the most physically imposing figure when leading the line, the now-retired marksman made up for that fact with his prolific return in front of goal, having bagged 143 goals in 363 games in all competitions for Spurs.

A reliable goalscorer wherever he went – notably netting 40 goals in 104 games for West Ham United and 37 goals in 100 games for Sunderland – the 40-year-old was a true weapon in the final third when in his pomp.

What did appear to set the current Spurs U18 coach apart was his "fantastic" movement – as described by his former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard – as he was "a dream for a midfielder because his movement tells you where to play the ball."

That ability to stretch a defence also appears to be shared by Orban, with Kulig stating that the emerging superstar has "killer instinct & fantastic off-the-ball movement in the final third", ensuring he could be a worthy successor to Defoe in a Tottenham jersey.

While the prospect of losing Kane would be a sizeable setback at the start of the new Postecoglou era, the former Celtic boss could move to somewhat fill that void by signing a Defoe-esque striker in his place.

Offspinner Akshay Wakhare’s second five-wicket haul of the match skittled Services for 99 and sewed up Vidarbha‘s 192-run win – their second of the season – in Nagpur. Vidarbha are now second on the Group D points table, which is led by Punjab.Resuming on 111 for 2, Vidarbha extended their second-innings score to 223 for 6 before declaring the innings. Akshay Karnewar’s career-best 48 not out off 28 balls and Wakhare’s unbeaten 17 off 16 balls helped Vidarbha set Services 292.Wakhare then starred with the ball, taking out opener Navneet Singh and captain Nakul Verma inside the first ten overs. He then sliced through the middle order to hasten the collapse. Legspinner Karn Sharma chipped in with three wickets to finish with a match haul of five wickets. Rahul Singh (33), Vikas Yadav (30) and Amit Pachhara (10) were the only Services batsmen to reach double figures in their second innings, which lasted only 28.1 overs.Seamers Sandeep Sharma and Barinder Sran bagged seven wickets between them to dismiss Chhattisgarh for 297 and wrap up Punjab‘s second win of the season, in Raipur.Chhattisgarh added 126 runs to their overnight score of 171 for 4 before being bowled out in 102.4 overs. Ashutosh Singh led the hosts’ resistance with 119 off 222 balls – his second century in two matches – but he received little support from the middle order. Vishal Kushwah (45) and Sumit Ruikar (36) added a counterattacking 74-run stand for the eighth wicket. Anmolpreet Singh scooped the Man-of-the-Match award for his career-best 267.Chasing 141, Bengal scored 65 for 4 in 15 overs, and settled for a draw with Himachal Pradesh in Kolkata. The hosts, though, walked away with three points by virtue of their first-innings advantage.After being bowled out for 206 in their first innings and handing Bengal a first-innings lead of 213, Himachal Pradesh put up stiffer resistance in their second dig. Resuming on 207 for 2 on the final day, Himachal Pradesh lost Nikhil Gangta and Paras Dogra early, but opener Priyanshu Khanduri moved to 95, before Ashok Dinda had him caught behind in the 84th over. Rishi Dhawan then rallied the lower order with an unbeaten 51 off 90 balls, including seven fours, and hauled the score to 353.Saha was promoted to the top in the fourth innings and had a crack at the target, hitting an unbeaten 34 off 42 balls. But wickets falling at the other end did not help Bengal.

تحدث أحمد جاب الله طبيب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي عن تفاصيل إصابة اللاعب محمد الضاوي كريستو، والتي تسببت في استبعاده من قائمة المارد الأحمر لمباراة الترجي التونسي.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة الترجي التونسي مساء السبت المقبل على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي في ذهاب الدور النهائي لبطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، على الملعب الأولمبي برادس.

قائمـة الأهلي لمباراة الترجي في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. انضمام الشناوي وعودة ديانج

وقال جاب الله في تصريحات رسمية للموقع الرسمي للنادي الأهلي: “محمد الضاوي كريستو اشتكى من الإصابة بعد انتهاء مران الفريق الذي أقيم اليوم على ملعب التتش”.

وأوضح جاب الله أن كريستو اشتكى عقب انتهاء المران من آلام في العضلة الضامة، وعلى أثرها فضل الجهاز الفني بقاء اللاعب في القاهرة.

وأشار جاب الله إلى أن كريستو سوف يخضع لفحص طبي وأشعة غدًا الخميس، على أن يبدأ مباشرة بعدها تنفيذ البرنامج التأهيلي للتخلص من الإصابة.

ومن المقرر أن تتوجه بعثة الفريق، برئاسة محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي، مساء اليوم إلى تونس، استعدادًا لخوض مباراة الترجي.

الجدير بالذكر، أن الترجي سيحل ضيفًا على الأهلي يوم الخامس والعشرين من شهر مايو الجاري في مباراة إياب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

Chelsea loaning out some of their young midfielders could pave the way for Mauricio Pochettino to bring in Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

How will Chelsea's midfield numbers look if Tyler Adams enters the fold?

Chelsea recently completed the signing of young midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu from Ligue 1 side Rennes for a fee in the region of £23.5 million, according to The Daily Mail.

The French youth international has moved to Stamford Bridge on a seven-year contract with the option of a further 12 months on his deal at the club.

Cited by GOAL, Blues boss Pochettino has spoken about what the future may hold for the 19-year-old and whether he could be shipped out on loan this summer, stating: "Now is time to assess him until the end of the transfer window and see if he is going to be with us or the way the club signed, maybe it can be a different possibility to loan or stay with us. We need to assess him when he starts training with us today and then in London after the tour."

In a separate article by The Daily Mail, Chelsea are reportedly interested in Leeds United midfielder Adams, who has a £25 million relegation release clause built into his contract at Elland Road.

Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United are all monitoring the United States international's situation as they seek reinforcements in the engine room.

Last term, Adams, who has been a "leader" in the midfield, featured 26 times in all competitions for Leeds United and impressed despite their eventual fall into the Sky Bet Championship, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has confirmed that Adams moving to Stamford Bridge is a possibility this summer and could become viable if Chelsea send some of their young midfielders out on loan.

Jacobs told FFC: "The thing about this Chelsea squad is that it's big, but a fair few players will be going out on loan now over the course of the next few weeks. Lesley Oguchukwu came in recently and he'll be out on loan for sure and it's believed that he'll be off to Chelsea's sister club, Strasbourg.

"It may look on paper like Chelsea have got a lot of young midfielders already, but give it two weeks or so and two or three of them might have departed out on loan and there may be space for more than one midfielder. This is where somebody like Tyler Adams, as a squad player at Chelsea, may be one to watch. He's certainly on their list of possibilities."

What next for Chelsea?

Chelsea look set to continue their recruitment drive in the coming weeks and could target Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes as an alternative to Moises Caicedo in midfield, with the latter proving to be hard to attract after Brighton knocked back an £80 million bid for the Ecuador international last week, as per The Evening Standard.

Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez could be on his way to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £25 million and is soon set to undergo a medical ahead of a proposed move to the Blues, as per Sky Sports.

Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise is on Chelsea's radar amid stiff competition from Manchester City for his services, though the Eagles are holding out for a fee of £50 million, according to The Guardian.

Pochettino will be keen to rubber stamp arrivals of key targets by next weekend when Chelsea take on Liverpool in their opening clash of the Premier League season.

Jake Weatherald led South Australia’s response with a stunning 152, off just 160 balls, to cut their deficit to under 200 by stumps on the second day

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2017
ScorecardGetty Images

Cameron Bancroft’s chances of Ashes selection strengthened after finishing the first day against South Australia unbeaten on 161. He improved his chances further, showing an ability to bat long, en route to his highest first-class score (228*) on the second day.His 351-ball innings, which included 22 fours and three sixes, carried Western Australia to 514 for 7 before captain Mitchell Marsh declared the innings.Jake Weatherald, 23, began South Australia’s response with a stunning 152, off just 160 balls, also his highest first-class score. He struck 27 fours and a six to cut South Australia’s deficit by half before he was caught off David Moody. South Australia finished the second day at 322 for 6, a further 192 runs behind Western Australia.Tom Cooper (34) and Callum Ferguson (33) chipped in with cameos, before Alex Carey (26*) and Joe Mennie (21*) carried South Australia to stumps. Moody finished with figures of 3 for 84.

Tom Blundell is in line for a Test debut after BJ Watling was unable to prove his fitness to keep wicket in the opening match of New Zealand’s season

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2017New Zealand will need a new wicketkeeper for the opening Test against West Indies in Wellington after BJ Watling was forced to relinquish the gloves due to his ongoing hip problem.The uncapped Tom Blundell is favourite to take the role although the decision won’t be confirmed until after the New Zealand A match against West Indies.Watling, who has not kept wicket in the last four Plunket Shield matches for Northern District, will remain part of the squad and could be considered as a specialist batsman. If he misses out completely it will be the first Test he is absent from since England at Headingley in 2013.The New Zealand A squad for the warm-up match has also been hit by injury and illness with Martin Guptill (hamstring), Colin Munro (ill), Adam Milne (back) and Scott Kuggeleijn (ill) all withdrawing.

Chelsea are set to continue their spending spree this summer, with the deal for an "enormous talent" looking more and more like a formality, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea news – what is the latest?

Mauricio Pochettino's side have been on a serious buying spree in recent weeks after starting the summer with a firesale of first-team players the club deemed surplus to requirements.

And despite just smashing the league's transfer record by signing Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo for £115m and following that up by agreeing a £53m fee for Southampton's exciting youngster Romeo Lavia, the Blues want more.

The next item on the agenda seems to be another attacker, and with the recent long-term injury to new boy Christopher Nkunku, that's not all that surprising.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The player Todd Boehly and Co have opted to sign to bolster their front line is Crystal Palace's Michael Olise, with the Blues activating the dynamic winger's £35m release clause to take the deal out of the South Londoner's hands, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"Now [the] £35m release clause for Michael Olise has been activated by Chelsea. It was an exclusive news about the release Clause of Olise, and I saw for many days people denying the clause is no longer there the clause has been removed. No, the clause was there the clause was valid was considered by both Chelsea and City, both clubs [were] waiting to understand also how was advanced in the situation of the injury of Michael Olise as he was injured in June.

"But now Chelsea decided to proceed with the player saying yes, with his Camp being very open to move to Chelsea. Chelsea decided to activate the clause. Now it's time to fix the deal with the Agents of the player to prepare the structure of the contract in this case because, with Palace, there is no need to negotiate [as] the clause has been activated, and then Olise is going to become the third signing in couple of days for Chelsea.

"So, incredible spending from Chelsea, incredible commitment from the owners, let me say because they're really investing and investing and investing on young talents, so the vision is clear, and Olise is going to be the next signing with a very long contract I will enter into details as soon as possible, but the deal is imminent for Michael Olise to Chelsea.

"So, work in progress on that one waiting very soon for the here we go."

How old is Michael Olise?

Born December 12th 2001, in Hammersmith, England, Olise is 21 years old, and despite being born in London, he has opted to represent France at both under-18 and under-21 level due to his French-Algerian mother.

While the agile attacker made his Premier League debut for Palace in the 2021/22 season, starting 12 games and making a further 14 appearances from the bench, it was last season when he truly burst onto the scene and made the country take notice.

In his 31 starts for the Eagles last campaign, he scored two goals, provided 11 assists, took 1.4 shots per game, won five Man-of-the-Match awards and averaged a superb match rating of 6.99, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers also make for impressive reading and suggest that his output could explode under a more attacking coach like Pochettino.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the "enormous talent", as described by manager Roy Hodgson, sits in the top 7% for assists, the top 9% for blocks, the top 15% for interceptions, and the top 18% for expected assists and tackles, all per 90.

Described as "one of the best wide playmakers in Europe" only a couple of months ago by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it's fair to say that despite being just 21 years old, Olise has well and truly announced himself to fans of the Premier League, and by joining Chelsea, he might just have the opportunity to do the same on a European stage soon enough.

Celtic are reportedly showing an interest in Wolves winger Daniel Podence, and a new update has shared how much the player could cost.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have so far brought in six new players at a total cost of £12m this summer, but it looks as if further additions will be made at Parkhead before the deadline. A pending arrival is believed to be Elfsborg defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, with the player flying into Glasgow after a fee was agreed between the two clubs.

After securing the services of Lagerbielke, Celtic and Brendan Rodgers could well turn their attention to targets further forward, with Manchester City midfielder James McAtee just one player who has recently been linked with a move north.

However, it appears as if the Hoops have their eyes on Podence from Wolves, with the player missing from the opening game of the season against Manchester United on Monday evening.

Sky Sports reporter Antony Joseph took to X on Tuesday evening to share an update on Podence, claiming the Hoops are keen on his services. He added that Wolves value the player at £12m, although Celtic seemingly feel that figure can be lowered through talks.

“Celtic are keen on Wolves winger Daniel Podence. He has one year left on his contract & wasn’t included in the squad last night.

“Wolves want around £12m, but it’s understood Celtic see room for negotiation, if they make an approach.”

Celtic’s current transfer record is under £10m for Odsonne Edouard, so even if Celtic manage to reduce a potential fee, it could still be the club’s most expensive signing of all time.

Who is Daniel Podence?

Podence is 27 years of age and is primarily a left-winger who can also turn out as a second striker or right-winger. A Portugal international, the attacker progressed through the academy at Sporting Lisbon and made 40 senior appearances for the club before joining Olympiacos in 2018.

He then turned out on 68 occasions for the Greek side, contributing to 27 goals, which resulted in a move to Wolves in 2020 in a deal worth €19.60m. In England, Podence, on £52,000-a-week, has made more than 100 appearances in the Midlands and as Joseph claims, is into the final 12 months of his deal.

Podence was hailed by former Wolves winger Michael Kightly back in 2020, who said:

“I thought he was really, really good. I was surprised that he never came on in the Sheffield United game. Fair play to Nuno [Espirito Santo], he probably realised that he made a mistake and he’s stuck him in against Everton.

“[There was] no better way for Podence to show Nuno what he’s been missing, if you like. I thought his performance was really good. He looked sharp, he looked strong. Every time we got the ball, he looked like he was going to make something of it. He’s exactly what Wolves need.”

It could well be a transfer to keep an eye on, and it will be interesting to see if Celtic firm up their interest in the player with an approach or a formal opening offer.

Burnley are reportedly in talks to sign Sporting CP midfielder Renato Veiga, and an update has shared how much a deal could cost the Clarets.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

Vincent Kompany and those at Turf Moor have been extremely busy so far this summer with a number of new players brought in for the club’s Premier League which began with a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last week.

In total, 11 new players have made the move to Burnley, with the club so far spending around £77m. Zeki Amdouni, James Trafford, Jordan Beyer, Dara O'Shea, Michael Obafemi, Luca Koleosho, Sander Berge, Wilson Odobert, Nathan Redmond, Lawrence Vigouroux and Jacob Bruun Larsen have all arrived, and it looks as if there could be further additions before the September 1 deadline.

The club are without a game this weekend with their scheduled top-flight fixture away against Luton Town postponed in advance, which could result in the club putting their focus firmly on the transfer market, looking to secure moves to add strength in depth to Kompany's squad. It appears as if Veiga is a player who the Clarets have their eye on, with an update emerging.

Journalist Dominik Schneider took to X in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Veiga. He stated that the midfielder is being eyed by Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, however, the player’s representatives are in concrete talks with Burnley and Swiss outfit FC Basel, with a €6m fee wanted, although there is scope for a loan move with an option to buy.

“Renato Veiga is on the list of Borussia Monchengladbach. First their priority transfer is backup for Tomas Cvancara. Veiga's representatives are in concrete talks with Burnley FC + FC Basel. Sporting wants €6m transfer fee. Loan with option is also possible.”

Who is Renato Veiga?

Veiga is 20 years of age and is primarily a holding midfielder, although he can play as a centre-back or a left-back, so would offer plenty of versatility to Kompany’s squad.

The Portuguese youngster, already sponsored by Adidas, has represented and captained his country at U20 level and has been on the books of Sporting CP for a number of years.

Standing at 6ft 2, the left-footed gem is yet to make a senior appearance for Sporting CP, however, he did go out on loan to German club FC Augsburg last season, where he went on to turn out on 13 occasions in the Bundesliga.

Veiga has featured on nearly 50 occasions for Sporting CP’s B and U23 teams, and with his contract expiring in 2025, now could be the ideal time for Burnley to make their move.

Valued at €1m by Transfermarkt, Burnley and Kompany may see Veiga as an exciting youngster who could only get better in time with the right coaching. He appears to be a player in demand in the final few weeks of the window as well, so a move could be one to keep an eye on prior to the end of the month, wit the Clarets seemingly involved in talks.

Andrew Strauss could face his “biggest decision”, Pietersen warns, as old tensions are rekindled

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2017

Kevin Pietersen has become the first major England player, past or present, to state publically that Ben Stokes should play no part in the Ashes – and he has even reopened old wounds with his former adversary Andrew Strauss by suggesting that Strauss’ job could be in jeopardy because of the issue.The Crown Prosecution Service will decide whether charges will be brought against Stokes after receiving a report from Avon and Somerset Police about his alleged part in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September.Stokes is playing domestic cricket in New Zealand with the blessing of the ECB after voluntarily assisting with police interviews which, in his case, are now complete.But Pietersen told the that his mind is already made up and that it would be wrong for Stokes to take part in the Test series.Strauss, director of England cricket, was instrumental to the banishing of Pietersen from England’s set-up on the grounds that he undermined the team ethic.In a wide-ranging interview, Pietersen says he is not bitter, and that he is “in such a cool space” as he rebuilds his life on the T20 circuit and with a commitment to rhino conservation.But he warned: “The issue with Ben Stokes isn’t about Ben Stokes. It’s about Andrew Strauss. He’s the one who’s going to make this call about if and when Stokes returns. The CPS might make it for him but if they don’t, this is on Strauss.”This is his biggest decision. Forget what he’s ever done to me. This is his biggest call. He likes to do things by the book. By his book. He doesn’t have much hair at the moment. He could lose it all on this decision. It’s a monster.”