da prosport bet： Tottenham recruitment chiefs and chairman Daniel Levy are now said to have their eyes on a "scintillating" new target as the club's transfer plans take further shape.

Spurs aiming to sign midfielder after Dragusin and Werner

da esoccer bet： According to widespread reports since Spurs completed deals to sign Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, the Lilywhites are also now looking to sign a midfield number eight.

Related Club willing to sell as Spurs in regular talks for signing after Dragusin

They’re actively pursuing another new addition.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 13, 2024

Both Werner and Dragusin made their debuts in Tottenham's 2-2 draw away to Man United on Sunday, with the visitors coming back from behind twice to take a point away from Old Trafford.

Manager Ange Postecoglou will be thrilled by his side's early moves in the January transfer market, especially to shore up key positions and provide him with a much-needed alternative centre-back option.

However, it is believed Postecoglou is keen on a new midfield running man who can alternate with playmaker James Maddison. Much could depend on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future at the club in that regard, as Spurs will need to free up squad space and bring in funds to make that potential transfer happen.

That being said, Tottenham are apparently pressing for a third January signing in the form of a new midfield engine, with links still surrounding Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

Reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold backs the 'Hojbjerg out, new midfielder in' hypothesis in a report this week, but the Spurs correspondent also suggests that isn't their only transfer plan.

Tottenham eyeing Jonathan Rowe move

Indeed, according to Gold, the north Londoners will explore deals for young stars on the rise.

One of them is Norwich City sensation Jonathan Rowe, who has enjoyed an excellent campaign for the Canaries with 11 goals and two assists in the Championship so far.

It is believed this has grabbed attention from Levy, technical director Johan Lange and co, with Tottenham now interested in signing Rowe from Norwich. There has been no official move made just yet, but the 20-year-old attacking midfielder is a new name on their radar.

Rowe has been "making a lot of noise" amid his "scintillating" season in England's second tier, as said by former Three Lions international and pundit Cole Palmer.

Jonathan Rowe's best games in the Championship – 2023/2024

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Norwich City 2-1 Hull

8.44

Hull 1-2 Norwich City

8.04

Huddersfield Town 0-4 Norwich City

7.94

Norwich City 2-0 Birmingham City

7.75

Coventry City 1-1 Norwich City

7.70

"One player making a lot of noise is Jonathan Rowe, Norwich's 20-year-old winger has scored five goals in nine appearances and was named EFL Young Player of the Month in August," said Carlton Palmer to Football League World in October.

"His scintillating form has seen him earn a call-up to England's under-20 squad. If he can keep producing performances like he's doing then he's going to become a very hot commodity."

Rowe would also do wonders to fill Spurs' homegrown quota, though it is unclear just how much Norwich would demand for their starlet.

Senior figures at the ECB have been grilled by MPs on the budget for the Hundred at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee, amid fears that projected costs for the new competition have grown significantly.In an oral evidence session that formed a key part of the DCMS inquiry into the future of English cricket, Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, repeatedly failed to give specific answers to questions regarding the budget for the new tournament.Former Somerset chairman Andy Nash – who resigned from the board of the ECB 18 months ago citing “standards of corporate governance… falling well short of what’s acceptable,” and a “move to promote eight counties as the first among equals” – gave evidence citing figures from an ESPNcricinfo article which demonstrated that the expected cost of the Hundred has risen significantly since the tournament was initially proposed.ALSO READ: ECB deny downplaying Blast amid fears for Hundred’s ticket salesJo Stevens, the Labour MP for Cardiff Central, questioned why the ECB had chosen to introduce a fourth format, asking “what’s wrong with T20?”Colin Graves, the ECB’s chairman, claimed that “the rest of the world is looking at it [the 100-ball format]. There’s at least four countries out there that are looking at how it develops, and they are certainly interested in it.”But the tensest exchange came between Stevens and Harrison on the subject of the budget for the Hundred, with the competition set to start in July 2020.”You presumably had a budget for it when you started the Hundred,” Stevens said. “What was the budget, and how much has it cost? How are you doing against your budgeting?”Unhappy with Harrison’s initial answer, Stevens repeated: “Can you answer the question I’m asking? What was the budget and what have you spent?”Harrison replied: “That is three years ago, the budget has obviously moved from that point as the development of the concept comes to light and there are costs… we actually added a women’s tournament…”Stevens continued: “Mr Harrison, it’s a simple question. What was the budget and how much have you spent?”In total, Stevens asked six times what the budget was for the new competition, and how the ECB’s costs had compared to expectations. Harrison said: “The budget is in line with the game’s expectations. I’m not going to reveal what that is.”We have a valuation which was met in the process of the broadcast budget, and the tournament budget which is… the tournament hasn’t happened yet. It’s happening next year. We’re in the budget-planning process. We’re planning the budget now for next year which will go through the board, through the proper governance structures and will be revealed… will effectively be confirmed in time for next year. We haven’t done budgets for any part of our business next year yet.”The budget is in line with the expectations of the Hundred board, and the ECB board.”In the second part of the session, Nash described the introduction of the new tournament as “an almighty punt and a reckless gamble” with “the potential to split and bankrupt the game”.”It will clearly will damage the other three formats,” he said. “We’ll be left with a financial crisis.”Andy Nash expressed concerns about the ECB’s financial position at a DCMS select committee oral evidence session•Getty Images

Nash claimed the first year of the Hundred would see the ECB lost £20m, and said that it “is going to cost about £60m a year to put on. So if no new fans come it will have cost £200m to cannibalise the existing game.”In fact, the first-year lost is likely to be closer to £7.5million. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, the ECB is set to claim that the Hundred will make a profit in its first year. The board projects that it will gross £51million in its first year against costs of £35million – but those costs exclude the £1.3m fee guaranteed to each county. With those included, the competition is not projected to make a profit in its first five years, though it could break even in year five. For the 2020 edition, the costs including payments to the counties are projected to be around £58.6million.T20 leagues around the world have similarly struggled for profitability until several years after their inception. Harrison later claimed that he could not provide full budget figures as they are not yet fully agreed and signed off by the board.Nash later claimed that “fans feel as though the game is being taken away from them”.”[The ECB] really are betting the farm that the next TV deal will pay back the investment on the Hundred,” he said. “We have here the germ of a major financial crisis for the game. This year was a fantastic success for cricket. Why put it all at risk? A lot of people in the game are completely baffled.”We’ll be left with a financial crisis. Where’s the justification for such a high-risk route?”Nash reasserted his support for a T20 competition split between two divisions of nine counties, as proposed by a working party he chaired when at the ECB. The plan was initially backed by the CEOs of the first-class counties.”You’d have nine teams in each division and, hey presto, you have an English Premier League in the top division,” he said. “That option is still there. It’s still what fans would like. It would cost nothing like as much as The Hundred. It would present far less of a risk.”

Kylian Mbappe says he will play wherever Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti wants him to and hopes to feature alongside the "unique" Vinicius Junior.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mbappe joins Madrid from PSG
• Ready to be flexible for Ancelotti
• Hails 'unique' Vinicius Junior

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following his switch from Paris Saint-Germain to Madrid, the 25-year-old was presented to the Spanish giants' fans this week – with the Frenchman asked a host of questions about joining Los Blancos. Two of which involved where he would play and if he could link up well with left winger Vinicius Jr.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT KYLIAN MBAPPE SAID

  The forward said at his unveiling presentation at Santiago Bernabeu: "I will play wherever the coach (Ancelotti) makes me play. In Paris, I played in all three positions. In Monaco too. The important thing is to be in good physical shape. The position I will play in is a detail."

  He added on the Brazilian: "Vinicius is a unique player, a very great player. I will be very happy to play with him, as with all the other players. Great players know how to play together, I think. He has been incredible in recent seasons. It is up to me to adapt to the team. I will do it as quickly as possible to help the team win."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe has, arguably, become one of the best players in the world from playing as a left-sided forward – both for PSG and France. But Vinicius is in Ballon d'Or contention after a stellar season in that position for Madrid. The 25-year-old Frenchman is happy to play as a centre-forward but whether or not they can gel together remains to be seen.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign with France, one which included him breaking his nose, Mbappe will begin his pre-season campaign in the coming weeks before stepping up preparations for his debut Madrid season in August.

A recent report from Football Transfers has claimed that Newcastle United have been offered the chance to sign Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, with the player’s representatives having met with the Magpies last month as the 24-year-old seeks an escape route out of Vicarage Road.

The former Rennes man appears to be eyeing a new home as the Hornets ebb towards an inevitable drop back into the second tier, with the report suggesting that a fee of roughly £40m could be enough to snap him up this summer.

Although it remains to be seen if Eddie Howe’s side are actually interested in pursuing the signing of the £71k-per-week speedster, the thought of him lining up at St James’ Park next season truly is a mouthwatering prospect.

The Senegalese sensation has endured a tricky stint back in the top-flight – with just five goals and two assists to his name in the Premier League this season – although he caught the eye during an explosive debut campaign in English football two seasons ago.

Having made the club-record switch to his current side in the summer of 2019, the 39-cap international went on to provide 11 goal contributions in that first season, albeit with that not proving enough to keep the club away from the drop zone.

The subsequent season saw Sarr remain with Watford despite interest from the likes of Manchester United, with the “rapid” ace, as he has been described by Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, bagging 13 goals and registering ten assists as Xisco Munoz’s side secured an instant return back to the top tier.

Dubbed a “freak” by current teammate Ben Foster for his ridiculous talent, the one-time Metz man would offer guaranteed thrills to those in the northeast, with Howe and co already having his perfect partner in crime in Allan Saint-Maximin.

Should the Frenchman stay put – despite reports he is up for sale – he would seemingly be able to dovetail beautifully with Sarr, the duo offering electric speed and undoubted skill down the flank.

While Saint-Maximin often does his damage cutting in off the left, the aforementioned target is at his most potent down the right-wing, offering the Newcastle boss the chance to terrify teams on the counter and remain a threat on both wings.

Although it is not yet known if there is concrete interest in the £24.3m-rated gem, PIF should do the club’s supporters – and the Premier League – a favour by putting the two dynamic stars together.

They would surely be buzzing at the thought of watching the pair play at St James’ Park next term.

IN other news, Newcastle plot bid to sign player with 191 PL apps, he’d be a big upgrade on Lascelles…

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： A nova diretoria do Botafogo não tenta fazer mudanças com assuntos envolvendo as quatro linhas – como a contratação de Eduardo Freeland -, mas também com pautas fora dos gramados. O Alvinegro, nas últimas semanas, está estudando e em negociação para remodelar, a partir da contratação de uma empresa terceirizada, as redes sociais e o serviço do programa de sócio-torcedor.

Atualmente, o “SouBotafogo”, programa de ST do Alvinegro, é alvo de críticas por parte da torcida. Seja por um atendimento deficitário ou pouca atividade nas redes sociais – o perfil do programa no Twitter, atualmente, tem 28 mil seguidores -, a diretoria busca mudanças.

Por isto, o departamento de marketing do clube teve reuniões com, pelo menos, duas empresas que se mostraram interessadas em cuidar das redes sociais do SouBotafogo. Os responsáveis do Glorioso estudam os números apresentados pelas companhias e deve apresentar uma resposta em breve.

Durcesio Mello, novo presidente do clube, entende que é preciso haver uma mudança na comunicação do sócio-torcedor. A conclusão interna é de que uma rede social mais forte e com mais interação gerará, consequentemente, mais adesões ao programa.

O Botafogo encontra-se na marca de 26 mil sócios-torcedores até o momento de publicação desta matéria.

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Both openers failed to reach double figures in either innings of first Test

Valkerie Baynes20-Jan-2021Joe Root is backing his young openers to come through the tough initiation of a maiden Test tour of Asia stronger for the experience.Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley both failed to reach double figures in either innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle and both fell to spin, the same spinner in fact, each time.Sibley got a faint edge to a ball from left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya which drifted in and spun away slightly for a slips catch while on 4 in the first innings before Crawley chipped to mid-off for 9. On 2 in the second innings, Sibley appeared stunned by Embuldeniya’s arm ball which took the top of off stump, and Crawley fell for 8 to an ill-conceived drive taken at gully.Related

• With Root at the helm, have England fans ever had it so good?

• Mendis dropped, Karunaratne ruled out with injury

• England mull changes to pace attack

• Mathews: 'Felt like I was playing Broad in England'

• Olly Stone admits previous career doubts as he hopes for recall

But Root believed Sibley and Crawley, who are 13 and nine matches respectively into their Test careers, were in the best position to learn fast.”They are doing all the right things in practice and giving themselves the best opportunity when they walk out to play,” Root said. “It didn’t quite fall for them this time but they are quick and smart learners who will be looking to turn things round in the next game.”It is very exciting that the work ethic is there and it is a great chance for them to adjust quickly to these conditions and show everyone that they’ve got the game to perform out here. At times in these conditions out here, opening the batting can be the best time to bat. On that wicket in the second innings, it was probably the trickiest time to bat. It is very rare that is the case and they will have to learn from that.”With regular opener Rory Burns headed to India after paternity leave as England begin the second Test, also in Galle, on Friday, Crawley, who scored a warm-up match century on the aborted tour of Sri Lanka early last year, can return to his “favoured position” at No. 3 when that swing of the tour begins. But a solid performance at the very top of the order beforehand would be a welcome confidence boost.Likewise, Sibley will be keen to turn things around before facing sterner opposition in India.”I see it as an opportunity to show that they can play in these conditions and I also see it as being part and parcel of Test cricket,” Root added. “You need to know how to play in these conditions and not only will it benefit them long term playing in Asia but also in matches where pitches do deteriorate late on anywhere in the world and start spinning drastically. You’ve got to have a game for it.”These tours and these games are all about winning but the experience you get can really benefit you further in your career if you have the right attitude and go about it in the right manner. I feel like they are doing that and that is the best thing they can do, keep wanting to get better, keep wanting to learn and take as much from the experience as they can.”Sri Lanka plead for the wicket of Dom Sibley•SLC

Root will expect ruthlessness from his side in the second Test against Sri Lanka.England won the first Test by seven wickets early on the last day but, by Root’s own admission, it was by no means a perfect performance. Having skittled Sri Lanka for 135 in the first innings and then put on 421 in response, built on Root’s 228 and supported by debutant Dan Lawrence’s 73 at No. 5, they were made to work considerably harder as Sri Lanka posted a second-innings 359.”You look at the best teams in the world who are winning consistently and that’s a trait you see over and over again and that is something we want, to be associated with being a side who – when they get on top – can see it through,” Root said.England secured victory comfortably in the end and Root wants to see more of the same when the sides return to Galle, especially ahead of four Tests against India, who vanquished Australia at the Gabba to seal a thrilling 2-1 series triumph.”India have got tremendous depth in all departments,” Root said. “They’re a side with resilience and character and we know we will have to be at our best when we go out there.”We’ve certainly played some good cricket and are shaping up very nicely, now it’s a question of whether we can carry on in the manner we are and continue to improve.Root was at pains not to look much beyond the match at hand, however, where England will contemplate picking Olly Stone to make only his second Test appearance as they look to rotate their seamers.”It’s certainly an option,”. Root said. “We couldn’t be more impressed with how he’s gone about his business. He looks fit, strong, he’s bowling quick and he’s given a very good account of himself.”There might be an opportunity for him to play on this tour, whether that’s this week or further down the line. Of course it would be nice to see him play more Test cricket and all he can do is make sure he’s ready to go if that’s the right call.”Root hinted that spinners Jack Leach and Dom Bess will hold their places, despite the England squad having three more reserve spinners on tour.”With the little cricket that both of them had played, I thought they grew as the game went on and got better and better,” Root said. “I expect that to be the same here as the practice days go on and the game goes on. The more they bowl and the more they find themselves in the pressure situations on the field then the better they will be for it and we will see them get better as the week unfolds.”The fact they came out of the game with a lot of wickets between them is really pleasing and will give them a lot of confidence to hopefully speed that process up.”

A significant West Ham United transfer update has now come to light involving Wolfsburg forward and current Torino loanee Josip Brekalo.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing fresh faces…

Hammers boss David Moyes, having guided his side through another memorable Premier League season, reportedly has fresh faces on the agenda before the beginning of 2022/2023.

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The Times say he’s set to target a central defender, new midfielder and striker with West Ham having failed to bolster the latter position in January.

Moyes needs an alternative option to Michail Antonio given the Jamaica international’s concerning injury record in past campaigns with news now emerging on Croatia international Brekalo.

The Latest: West Ham open discussions…

According to Calciomercato.it, West Ham have opened discussions to sign Brekalo by expressing their interest – emerging as one of the clubs to either lodge a ‘draft offer’ or ‘formal request of information’.

Indeed, the Italian source also claims that Moyes’ side have made a ‘concrete’ pre-summer move for Brekalo alongside the likes of Atletico Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt and Southampton.

The Verdict: Ideal man?

The 30-cap ace has seriously impressed whilst on loan in Serie A from Wolfsburg with members of the media even calling his form ‘frightening’ (Josh Bunting, Islington Gazette).

His seven goals and two assists domestically just scratch the surface of his quality with Brekalo also averaging more key passes per 90 than any regular Torino regular over 2021/2022 (WhoScored).

The forward averages 1.3 successful take-ons per 90, a greater number than all of his teammates, leaving little wonder Moyes and co have now made contact.

In other news: Report: Moyes now very likely to make major bid for ‘world class’ player who ‘likes’ West Ham! Find out more here.

With series level at 1-1, both sides have one eye on next year’s T20 World Cup in Australia

The Preview by George Dobell04-Nov-2019Big pictureGiven the recent history between these teams, it’s hardly a surprise that the series is level at 1-1. For both of them, though, these games are much more about looking to the future – and the T20 World Cup in Australia, which is less than a year away – than dwelling on the past.Partly for that reason, England are using the series to take a look at fringe candidates who could force their way into that squad. So days like Saturday – when the inexperience is obvious and expresses itself in batting collapses, poor choices with the ball or, as was the case in Wellington, fielding errors – are probably unavoidable.With that in mind, they look set to continue to experiment in the third match. Tom Banton looks likely to come into the side in place of the rested Jonny Bairstow, while there may be a temptation to look at leg-spinner Matt Parkinson, too. Chris Jordan, who has been England’s player of the series, could drop out safe in the knowledge that his long-term position is secure, while Sam Curran has also made a fine impression.Even while accepting there is a bigger picture than victory in this series, England will be looking to improve markedly in the field. For while the England management will accept the odd spilled catch – there were four or five at Wellington, depending on how harsh a judge you may be – they are less likely to tolerate any sense of timidity in the field. It’s an area they will have to improve if they are to challenge in Australia.New Zealand aren’t at full strength either. With Kane Williamson to miss the T20I series and Trent Boult not expected back until the fourth match, they have relatively few options among their 13-man squad. With leg-spin proving expensive in the series to date, though, they may be tempted to play an extra seamer.They won in Wellington largely due to their superior fielding, but they may be just a little concerned by the lack of runs from their top order. Martin Guptill at least registered his highest score in 12 international matches (dating back to June 1) but none of their batsmen have yet scored more than 44 in the series. Ross Taylor, who to be fair has slipped into the middle order, hasn’t made a T20I half-century since March 2014.Form guideEngland LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WLLWWIn the spotlightMitchell Santner is not, at first glance, an especially eye-catching cricketer. But with his excellent control, his extravagant changes of pace and his intelligence, he has developed into a fine limited-overs bowler who is currently not only the leading wicket-taker in the series (he has taken six; three in each match) but also the most economical (of those who have delivered more than two overs) going for exactly a run-a-ball. His success looks particularly admirable when compared to the other spinners, both leggies, in the series: Adil Rashid and Ish Sodhi have each taken two wickets in the series and are conceding their runs at 8.87 and 9.37 an over respectively. He was man of the match in Wellington and is currently fifth in the global T20I bowling rankings.It’s probably unfair to expect too much too soon fromTom Banton. He is just 20-years-old, after all. But such was the invention, such was the power, such was the audacity of his batting for Somerset this season, that comparisons with Jos Buttler and Kevin Pietersen have not only been made but are understandable. He showed an appetite for the big occasion when top-scoring (equal with James Hildreth) as Somerset won the Royal London One-day Cup final at Lord’s and was the highest England-qualified run-scorer in the T20 Blast with four fifties and a century from his 13 innings. His run-rate in that competition – an eye-watering 161.47 – underlined his dominance and he was named both the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the Cricket Writers’ Club young player of the year for the 2019 season. His form on this tour to date has not been especially promising – he made 6 and 11 in his two warm-up innings – but it may be some encouragement to him to recall that he made a century in his most recent Youth ODI against New Zealand in Queenstown in January 2018.Team newsWith a squad of just 13 for these first three games, New Zealand’s options are limited. They looked stronger in Wellington with the recall of Jimmy Neesham for Scott Kuggeleijn but, with an eye to the future, may be tempted to take another look at either bowling all-rounder Kuggeleijn or medium-fast seamer Blair Tickner, who has played only one international; a T201 victory over India. Ish Sodhi looks the most vulnerable if New Zealand decide they require only one spinner. Lockie Ferguson, who has bowled with impressive pace and control, is set to play his final game of the series before Trent Boult replaces him in the squad for the last two matches.New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Colin de Grandhomme, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Jimmy Neesham, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Ish SodhiBanton looks set to come in for Jonny Bairstow in this game, with Dawid Malan expected to make way for the final two games. That means Malan may need to make quite an impression here if he is to see off the inevitable return of Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes et al. There may be a temptation to take a look at Matt Parkinson, too, though such has been the fate of leg-spinners in the series he could face a tough baptism. If Parkinson does play, it may have to be in place of fellow leggie Adil Rashid. Rashid still looks a bit out of sorts, leading to fears that his shoulder injury is a little worse than he likes to admit. Given Lewis Gregory’s fine start with the ball in the previous game – he became the latest man to start his international career with a first-ball wicket – Eoin Morgan may feel he can trust him to a larger role in that department.England (possible): 1 Dawid Malan, 2 Tom Banton, 3 James Vince, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Sam Billings (wk), 6 Lewis Gregory, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Tom Curran/Saqib Mahmood, 10 Adil Rashid/Matt Parkinson, 11 Pat BrownPitch and conditionsThis is very early season in New Zealand. Indeed, there had never been an earlier international game on the South Island than the series opener in Christchurch, So while the boundaries at Saxton Park – about 160 miles north of Christchurch, on the northern coast of the South Island – are not especially long and while the weather is set fair (cloudy and a bit windy but dry), it would be a miracle if the ground staff were able to coax much pace from this wicket. For that reason, there may be just a little grip for spinners or cutters and just a little difficulty in timing the ball for batsmen.Stats and trivia The mayor of Nelson, Rachel Reese, is married to former Somerset (and, briefly, Yorkshire and Central Districts) batsman Richard Harden. This is only the second T20I at the Saxton Oval in Nelson. New Zealand won the previous one, against West Indies, at the end of 2017. New Zealand have won six of the seven completed ODIs they have played at the ground; Sri Lanka beat them on New Year’s Eve in 2015 while the match between the same sides a few days later was lost to the weather. England’s men have never played an international game at the ground. The ground is named in memory of a Shropshire-born John Saxton who farmed in the region – he was something of a pioneer in realising the value of sheep farming on such land – as well as providing invaluable information for future generations as a diarist and painter.Stats that matterTim Southee requires two wickets to become the eighth man to claim 75 T20I wickets.Adil Rashid requires one more wicket to draw level with Jade Dernbach as the fourth-highest T20I wicket-taker for England. Dernbach took 39 T20I wickets. Only Graeme Swann (51), Chris Jordan (52) and Stuart Broad (65) have more for England.Colin Munro requires 41 runs to draw level with Kane Williamson’s run-tally of 1,505 for New Zealand in T20Is. The pair have played the same number of games (57), though Williamson has batted once more often. Only three men (Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor) have scored more T20I runs for New Zealand than Williamson. Eoin Morgan requires 32 runs to move equal 10th in the list of the top T20I run-scores of all time. He is currently 12th.England have won 11 and lost six of the 18 T20Is played between the nations. One game was lost to the weather.Quotes”That’s probably my most common question: have you gotten over it yet? I don’t think it’s about getting over it, it’s just accepting it. It will be there forever, you can’t change it. It doesn’t mean you have to dwell on it any more than a fleeting thought every now and then.”
“We want guys continuing to attack the ball and find themselves in hot spots if they’re good enough.”

Leeds United correspondent Beren Cross has provided a positive injury update regarding star striker Patrick Bamford.

The Lowdown: Bamford’s season to forget

Bamford has managed just seven starts in 2021/22 due to ankle, hamstring and foot problems, with the 28-year-old completing 90 minutes on just four occasions.

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He netted 17 times last season compared to just two goals during the current campaign, with his latest setback coming last month.

The forward ruptured his plantar fascia against Wolves on March 18, but it looks as if he is making positive progress ahead of a return prior to the end of the season.

The Latest: Cross shares Thorp Arch update

Jesse Marsch has previously stated that he is ‘optimistic’ Bamford would be able to return for the final two games against Brighton and Brentford, fixtures which could be huge in the club’s attempts to avoid the drop.

Cross shared a story regarding Bamford on Wednesday morning, suggesting he ‘is due out on the pitches again this week’, describing a return to the training ground as the ‘breath of fresh air’ Marsch needs.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Hopefully, Leeds will manage to pick up some unlikely points over their next three games with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, three of the current top four, to take them close to the magic 40-point mark.

They currently have a five-point gap over Everton and are three points clear of Burnley, so there’s every chance Leeds will still need something against Brighton and Brentford.

Bamford could well be involved if that is the case, and it looks as if he is on track for a May 15 return, should he take to the Thorp Arch training pitches over the coming days.

In other news: Radz and 49ers will now reward Marsch if he keeps Leeds up by moving for 29-goal forward. 

The grey clouds that have been hanging over West Ham United this year might just be starting to shift.

It’s still very early on in Nuno Espírito Santo’s tenure, but in the draw away to Everton and, more crucially, the win over Newcastle United, he’s shown enough to excite the fans.

More importantly, though, the win over the Toon suggests that the Portuguese coach might just be able to keep the Hammers in the Premier League.

Another huge positive to come out of that game was the display of Freddie Potts, and it’s already looking like the academy is brewing another talent like him.

Why Freddie Potts is such an exciting talent

Potts had made a few fleeting appearances for West Ham before Sunday’s game, but that was his first competitive start for the club.

However, he’s no inexperienced youngster, as he spent last season on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, where he made 38 appearances, and the season before that with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances.

That experience clearly paid off against the Toon, as despite them being a Champions League side, the Barking-born ace looked completely unfazed.

In fact, he thrived, and from the first minute to the last, he was practically faultless, putting in a perfect all-action midfield performance.

One analyst claimed he had a “similar aura to Rice” and was particularly impressed with his “confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball.”

He was so good, in fact, that he got special attention on Match of the Day, and it feels like it won’t be the only time that happens this season.

In all, while it is still early on in his career, it looks like West Ham have an unreal midfield talent in Potts.

So, fans should be excited that the academy appears to be producing another prospect who could be a lot like him.

West Ham's next Potts in the making

The good news for West Ham and the fans is that there are currently several genuinely exciting players in the academy.

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For example, Preston Fearon appears to have the potential to become a midfield destroyer one day, Emeka Adiele has been providing assists with ease at left-back, and Josh Landers seems to be a natural centre-forward.

However, another youngster, less well-known but with the potential to be a future Potts-esque star, is Isaac Thomas.

The 16-year-old Welshman made his debut for the club’s U18S over the weekend, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

The young Hammers beat Ipswich Town 8-2 away from home, and instead of scoring one, a brace or even a hat-trick, the exciting prospect ended up with four goals to his name.

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Amazingly, three of his goals were headers, with the fourth coming off his foot in the dying embers of the match. However, what makes the whole thing even more remarkable is that he was playing at centre-back.

Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, Thomas is not a natural defender, but stepped in to play there for the team regardless.

It’s this ability to be something of a utility player so young that makes him feel similar to Potts, as he, too, played at the back for the U21s and U18s on occasion.

Furthermore, if the “brilliant” teen, as dubbed by his coach, Lauris Coggin, possesses both the tactical awareness to play in defence and the technical ability to score four goals in a game, there is no reason he couldn’t eventually thrive in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but in Thomas, West Ham look to have another hugely promising talent, much like Potts.