Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the appointment of a key off-field role, with an announcement coming as soon as next month.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds sealed EFL Cup glory on Sunday afternoon, as Jurgen Klopp's final season at Anfield threatens to be a legendary one, with a quadruple still possible in the coming months.

It is important that there is plenty of focus on new signings in the summer, however, and it could even be that FSG have already lined up their next manager, with Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann both believed to be in the running.

A number of players have been linked with moving to Anfield at the end of the season too, with centre-back an area of the pitch that could be bolstered. Crystal Palace and England ace Marc Guehi has emerged as a target, being seen as a potential replacement for Joel Matip.

Meanwhile, Sporting CP star Goncalo Inacio continues to be linked with Liverpool, with the Portuguese a wanted man among numerous Premier League clubs, including Manchester United.

There is also the small matter of the Reds nailing the appointment of a new sporting director after the January exit of Jorg Schmadtke, bringing in an individual who can work seamlessly alongside the next manager. West Ham's highly-rated ace Tim Steidten has been backed to take the club, as has Alonso's colleague at Bayer Leverkusen, Simon Rolfes, and now a new claim has emerged.

Liverpool set to appoint sporting director in March

According to an update from Football Insider, Liverpool will appoint a new long-term sporting director as early as March, with FSG keen on completing a deal in good time.

"Liverpool want to appoint a new sporting director in the next month, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed that the Reds are keen to announce a new chief recruiter by the end of March and will then push ahead with their search for Jurgen Klopp’s managerial replacement.

It is great to see that FSG are looking to act quickly when it comes to hiring a new sporting director, rather than allowing it to drag on and hamper the club's summer transfer business.

It remains to be seen who the standout candidate is to come in, but there would be real sense in Rolfe being the choice, should Alonso be named the new manager. They have clearly worked well together at Leverkusen, so to have people who already know each other's qualities can only be a good thing.

FSG chiefs have “strong relationship” with “unbelievable” Liverpool target

The Reds are reportedly interested in signing him.

By
Henry Jackson

Feb 26, 2024

Whoever comes in, it is essential that the right decision is made, with the role so influential in the modern game, during a period in which the likes of Michael Edwards and Dan Ashworth have rightly been hailed for their influence at their respective clubs.

A "top young" West Brom player is set to leave the club and has already said his goodbyes, according to a new update regarding his future.

West Brom promotion & transfer news

The Baggies will hope that the summer transfer window is spent with them preparing for life back in the Premier League, depending on how the rest of this season pans out. Carlos Corberan's side are currently fifth in the Championship table with nine matches remaining, so failure to at least finish in the playoffs would have to be considered a disappointment.

Some key January additions arrived at the club, including Mikey Johnston on loan from Celtic, while Yann M'Vila represented an exciting free transfer last month.

The recent takeover of West Brom has brought further positivity to the club, and the hope is that additional funds will be made available in the summer, although new owner Shilen Patel has admitted that they must spend within their means moving forward, saying:

"I think to be a responsible and sustainable operation is crucial. The club is going to have what it needs to operate within the boundaries of the league. We’re absolutely going to have to increase our expertise in getting the most out of everything in front of us."

Young West Ham striker Callum Marshall has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns, being seen as a potential replacement for Brandon Thomas-Asante, but there could be players who leave West Brom during the summer window, however, and an update has emerged regarding one young individual.

"Top young" player to leave West Brom

According to a fresh claim from The Secret Scout on X, West Brom youngster Keilan Quinn is set to complete a move to Aston Villa, bringing an end to his time at the Hawthorns:

"BOOM! Understand Aston Villa are set to complete signing of 16-year-old Keilan Quinn from rivals West Brom. The 2007 born midfielder has already said his goodbyes. West Brom continuing to produce top young players."

Losing Quinn has to be considered a blow for West Brom, considering the 16-year-old's long-term potential as a player, already making 11 appearances for the Baggies' Under-18s, despite being below that age range.

In fairness, the lure of joining Villa has seemingly proved too good to turn down, given their Premier League status, and it looks as though he sees a switch across the Midlands as best for his development. It could be argued that staying put at West Brom may have been better for him in that respect, but only time will tell.

West Brom struck gold with a star who's now worth more than Thomas-Asante

West Bromwich Albion played a blinder with this signing.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 11, 2024

It is now a case of the Baggies ensuring that they don't keep on losing emerging young talents in the coming years, with long-term planning at the club so important under Patel, not to mention blooding homegrown players and turning them into both key players and genuine assets who could be sold for good money over time.

Following Gregg Berhalter's sacking, names linked with the USMNT coaching position have popped up, and De La Fuente is the latest.

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USMNT sacked Gregg BerhalterIn search of new head coachSpain's De La Fuente linked with gigWHAT HAPPENED?

Leading them to their first continental title since 2012, Spain's Luis De La Fuente guided La Roja to a EUROs title on Sunday. Ahead of the final, though, the Washington Post has confirmed that representatives of the Spain manager reached out to U.S. Soccer last Friday over the vacant managerial role with the USMNT.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Massoud Roushandel, President of Global Elite Sports Group – a U.S.-Spanish management firm – confirmed to the Post that he and Vicente Montes, De La fuente's advisor, contacted Matt Crocker of U.S. Soccer over the matter. U.S. Soccer did not respond to the report for comment.

Other candidates linked with the role include ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who "politely" turned down an approach, with other options such as LAFC's Steve Cherundolo, Strasbourg's Patrick Vieira and ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

DID YOU KNOW?

De La Fuente recently became the first manager to win the U-19 EUROs, U-21 EUROs, the Nations League and now the senior team EUROs. All of which were with Spain.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

The USMNT have a pair of September friendlies against Jesse Marsch's Canada and New Zealand on the horizon. The goal for the U.S. is to have a new manager in place by the time those matches arrive.

At this current moment in time, Leeds United look like they're going to run away with automatic promotion in the Championship.

Beating Millwall 2-0 last time out means Daniel Farke's silky Whites are now at the very top of the second-tier summit heading into the International break, managing to somehow topple Leicester City who were once nine points above Leeds as over-confident table-toppers in mid-February.

Daniel James has been in the form of his life to play a key role in the West Yorkshire titans taking the second tier by storm, the former Manchester United winger netting his 12th goal of the season against the Lions to steer the Whites to yet another polished victory.

It's been some turnaround for the Welshman, who was once worried about a permanent exit from Elland Road after constantly failing to deliver.

Daniel James' season in numbers

Leeds fans seemingly used to view James as a colossal flop, a massive waste of money who had ripped the Whites off at an extortionate £25m – former defender Ian Harte notably stating in 2022 that he "wasn't a massive fan" of the winger.

Now, the Elland Road faithful have very much changed their tune watching their slick number 20 turn into a key figure under Farke in the Championship.

Alongside his 12 goals helping Leeds pick up vital wins, the 26-year-old winger has also notched up an impressive seven assists in all competitions to tee up the likes of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville to run rings around startled defences.

James' transfer value has now dropped down to €12.6M (£10.7m) – according to Football Transfers – which points in the direction that Leeds did overspend to first get the Welsh attacker through the door, but nobody at Elland Road is complaining about the ex-Red Devil's presence in the team now.

The skilful speedster will aim to become a Premier League hero for Leeds if they do end up tasting promotion glory, wanting to etch himself into the Whites hall-of-fame subsequently where Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink proudly resides.

Joining Leeds for £2.5m back in 1997, the Dutch superstar's cheap fee then by modern transfer standards would see him become more valuable than James is today.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's transfer value in 2024

Taking into account modern inflation, Hasselbaink would have cost Leeds £14.4m if that deal was to take place in the current financial landscape according to TotallyMoney's Transfer Index – the site having been able to calculate what footballers of the past would be worth in the present day.

While that figure places the striker-turned-pundit ahead of James' £10.7m valuation, it still would be viewed as a bargain really, when you consider how prolific the iconic Dutchman was over a fruitful stint in West Yorkshire before going on to star for Chelsea.

The former Whites hero would bag 34 of his 127 top-flight goals during two whirlwind campaigns at Elland Road, which would see him join the top ten of Leeds' all-time Premier League top scorers despite only featuring 69 times for the club in the league compared to his celebrated four-season stay at Stamford Bridge.

Leeds' all-time Premier League top scorers – top six

Player

Games played

Goals scored

1. Mark Viduka

130

59

2. Harry Kewell

181

45

3. Rod Wallace

178

42

4. Alan Smith

171

38

5. Lee Bowyer

203

38

6. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

69

34

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As can be seen in the table above, Hasselbaink is very much remembered for being a prolific and deadly attacker in Leeds quarters.

Leeds would end up selling the 5 foot 10 centre-forward to Atletico Madrid for around £15m according to TotallyMoney, which again by today's standards, would see the Whites then pocket a healthy £51.7m.

James could well be dreaming of breaking into that list of esteemed names who have bagged goals by the bucket load in the top-flight for Leeds soon, with the once scapegoated 26-year-old very much already reaching Hasselbaink's hero status away from those numbers.

La Roja have proved that you don't have to be boring to win international trophies following their thrilling run in Germany

Sometimes football can be straightforward. Over the coming days, England's Euro 2024 campaign will be relentlessly dissected from all angles – and there's a lot to get through.

Why did Harry Kane move with the verve of an arthritis-stricken manatee all tournament, for example? Could we not have subjected Kieran Trippier to dangerous, experimental surgery to make him left-footed? And why did Declan Rice seem to forget England were playing in white in Berlin?

All of these posers are worthy of extensive analysis. However, the final itself can be understood fairly simply: Spain are a better football team than England, so they won.

La Roja's triumph wasn't down to having a vastly-superior talented squad, though. As we've heard so many times over the past year or so, this might just be the best Three Lions group in history, especially in terms of strength in depth, while Spain even had to fare without Player of the Tournament Rodri for the entirety of the second half.

Instead, Luis de la Fuente's side's emergence as the standout Euro 2024 team was a result of their brave playing style and well-balanced team selections. And it's a campaign that the Football Association should look at closely as they map out the country's likely post-Gareth Southgate future.

• Getty
  

  Innovation mixed with familiarity

  Right from the outset, Spain have been the footballing story of the tournament. Their opener against Croatia marked an extremely significant moment for a nation that has worshipped at the altar of tiki-taka for the best part of two decades.

  In their maiden outing at Euro 2024, De la Fuente's charges registered a lower share of the possession than their opponents for the first time in 136 matches. All the hallmarks that would go on to make this Spain side special were present in that encounter.

  Flying wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal were unplayable for significant spells, adding a refreshing directness to proceedings that had been lacking under Luis Enrique. Rodri was coolness personified and complemented nicely by the tidy-but-expansive Fabian Ruiz and pass-master Pedri. Alvaro Morata, not always universally appreciated, played his part as the selfless, nuisance centre-forward too.

  Their performance earned them plenty of admirers, as well as a 3-0 win. There was much more success to come, too.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Best tournament team in recent memory

  Spain completed the group stage with a 100 percet winning record, first downing Italy in the most one-sided 1-0 victory of all time, before a much-rotated side beat Albania by the same scoreline. This set up a last-16 meeting with Georgia.

  The minnows would take the lead thanks to a Robin Le Normand own goal, though four different scorers ensured that there would be no repeat of Spain's shock World Cup elimination at the hands of Morocco. The attacking fluency they showed that day was quite incredible, with a 76% share of possession resulting in 35 shots on goal.

  Germany in the quarter-finals presented a more intimidating challenge, but they found a way as La Roja's marvellous midfield trio showcased their talents. Substitute Mikel Merino was the hero, grabbing the extra-time winner, but early sub Dani Olmo, Rodri and Fabian were all sensational, pressing as a unit and using the ball positively to help send one of the favourites out.

  France were slain next, in what will go down in history as Lamine Yamal's coming-out party to the world. The teenager scored a world-class equaliser before Olmo provided his own moment of magic to settle proceedings and book a place in the final.

  Spain were heavy favourites against England and, after edging the first half, began to carve open their opponents after the interval. Williams found the breakthrough inside two second-half minutes, and if it wasn't for some lame finishing and Jordan Pickford's heroics between the sticks, the game would've been over before Cole Palmer equalised with an exquisite strike.

  As it turned out, though, this was simply a pothole on Spain's procession to the title. Four minutes from time, Mikel Oyarzabal finished off a typically incisive counter-attack to ensure football came home – to Spain, that is.

• Getty
  

  Easy on the eye

  When you look back at their run to the title, it's impossible to not be seriously impressed. Placed in a tricky group and then on the difficult side of the draw, Spain still managed to become the first team to win seven games at a European Championship.

  This wasn't solely a triumph of results, though. Spain's feat is made all the more noteworthy by just how watchable they've been. Free-flowing, full of energy out of possession and capable of keeping hold of the ball with relative ease when they need, they've looked like an elite club side in a sea of relative dysfunction this tournament.

  Their bravery and confidence has been eye-catching, too. Only Portugal averaged more progressive carries per 90 minutes at Euro 2024, and they also made the top four for take-ons attempted, carries into the final third and progressive passes.

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• Getty
  

  Challenging the status quo

  Witnessing the best footballing team of the tournament lift the trophy has also challenged the orthodoxy of recent international tournaments. At Euro 2016, Portugal quite frankly stunk up the place going forward, before clutching a dramatic final victory against France.

  Didier Deschamps' side have hardly been entertainers themselves, either. Considering the insane talent at Les Bleus' disposal, the amount of eye-catching displays they've treated us to over the past eight years is staggeringly low, with solidity being prioritised above all else. Even at the most-recent World Cup, Lionel Scaloni's victorious Argentina were shocked by Saudi Arabia in the opening game and were far from convincing during the knockout stages, relying on grit and determination to get the job done.

  These case studies have resulted in a widely-held belief that in order to triumph at tournaments, you need to adopt a safety-first approach. England boss Gareth Southgate certainly subscribed to this particular truth, especially after their World Cup exit in 2022. In Qatar, the Three Lions played the most entertaining football of his reign, only to crash out in the quarter-finals.

  Scarred from that experience, he largely opted to revert to type by keeping things safer this tournament, instructing his charges to remain compact before counting on substitutions or individual moments of xG-defying magic to win games. Reaching the final might suggest his methods have been vindicated, but playing in this way means you must be pretty much spotless defensively or exceedingly lucky. They were neither in Berlin.

Pooran leads lower-order rally with 67, while Chase prises out Afghanistan top order in excellent spell

The Report by Shashank Kishore09-Nov-2019

Evin Lewis finds a way to avoid the bug infestation at the Ekana Stadium•Ekana cricket media

West Indies overcame a spirited Afghanistan fight fuelled by Najibullah Zadran’s half-century to win their first ODI series since August 2014. The key architects of their win in the second ODI were Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase – the former leading an excellent lower-order rally to make 67 while the off-spinning allrounder nicked out Afghanistan’s top order in a superb spell of 3 for 30 to put the brakes, eventually leading to a 47-run win.Afghanistan would rue a number of opportunities, not least of all the double-strike following a sixth-wicket stand of 68 between Najibullah and Mohammad Nabi. First, Sheldon Cottrell had Najibullah nicking behind for 56 while he attempted a slash with Afghanistan needing 70 off 67 balls. Off the first ball of the next over, rookie legspinner Hayden Walsh had Nabi lbw to extinguish any hopes of an Afghanistan rearguard. Walsh, who was only introduced in the 29th over, seemingly because Afghanistan had two set left-handers, finished with 3 for 36, including the final wicket to seal victory.In many ways, the match was a throwback to the ’90s. West Indies went in with a slow and steady approach, looking to launch later. The risk with that approach is it puts immense pressure on the lower order to score quickly from the outset. On challenging surfaces, like the one at the Ekana Stadium where Afghanistan played four spinners and West Indies two, it can be a tough ask. Fortunately, West Indies found a savior in Pooran, who negotiated Rashid Khan’s threat with great caution, before taking apart the death bowling. He put in a high value on risk-free shots initially before seamlessly bringing out the big hits. The last 10 overs produced 86 runs to lift West Indies to 247 for 9.In the chase, Afghanistan stuttered, recovered and then again played rash shots, like the one Hazratullah Zazai did to hole out to long-on and Asghar Afghan, the experienced former captain, heaving one to deep midwicket when the need of the hour was consolidation. Rahmat Shah looked in control, and overcame a short-ball barrage from Jason Holder to keep the runs ticking along. While he wasn’t quite as comfortable while pulling or hooking, his cuts and punches square of the wicket were a visual treat. But his dismissal against the run of play threatened to blow the lid off. Sent back after a terrible mix-up with Ikram Alikhil, he was inches short of the crease when Pollard swooped in from mid-on to fire a throw to Alzarri Joseph, who removed the bails at the non-striker’s end.Alikhil and Najibullah hung in there, the escalating asking rate that went past six, not proving to be a bother. With the knowledge that Nabi was still to come, they kept picking the ones and twos and looked to take the game deep. Najibullah’s half-century was an innings of two contrasts – watchful early on until he decided he had to take on the train of spin, by reverse sweeping his way, sometimes even against the turn, to boundaries. He reached his half-century by drilling Holder through extra cover and followed that up by swatting him over long-on in the same over to keep West Indies worried until the 38th over. Then he was dismissed, and the match turned again.As comprehensive as the win seemed in the end, it wouldn’t tell you the entire story. West Indies struggled with the bat, strangulated by a succession of fast darts and fizzy turn. They played out as many as 143 dots till the 36th over, before deciding the only way out was to attack. It could’ve well cost them if not for Pooran’s rescue act.Early on, openers Shai Hope and Ewin Lewis decided to take it slow and set a launchpad by accumulating 98 in 24.4 overs. Naveen-ul-Haq, the only seamer in the XI, struggled for lengths and was smacked for four boundaries by Hope in his first two overs, until Rashid turned to spin. A pulsating start soon turned into a solid one, before the innings failed to get out of second gear.From time-to-time, Lewis produced the odd boundary. He sits on his left leg and looks to stay back, and when the spinners err, he takes full toll, which is what he did here. Hope, meanwhile, got bogged down. After motoring to 18 off 18, he managed all off 13 off his next 33 deliveries against Afghanistan’s spinners. However, he was to contend with more spin, which brought more caution, eventually leading to his dismissal Rashid snuck past his bat with a ripping googly to trap him lbw.Lewis was out in the next over, leaving Chase and Hetmyer with a steep task. Hetmyer played an uncharacteristic knock, shelving the slogs and the temptation to look for release shots when things didn’t go his way, but that was only until he got to 34. After lofting Nabi inside-out over long-off for six, he flat-batted the next ball straight to long-on to once again waste another opportunity. That it came off the last ball of Nabi’s spell made it that much more unacceptable from West Indies’ point of view.Pollard walked in needing to stay alive till the death overs, but he was foxed by left-arm spinner Sharafuddin Ashraf, reaching out to lob a simple return catch. On many other nights, this could’ve led to a proper meltdown and perhaps even the difference between victory and defeat. Fortunately, West Indies had Pooran’s lower order rally to thank for lifting them to a total that proved just beyond Afghanistan’s reach.

Mauricio Pochettino and his future in the Chelsea dugout has been a real talking point at Stamford Bridge this season, and a new update has come to light this week.

Pochettino debut season under scrutiny at Chelsea

Despite club chiefs bringing in £400 million worth of summer signings to the club last year, Chelsea languish in mid-table with the prospect of European football looking increasingly distant as things stand.

"Future of Chelsea" – Tadic excited by "great talent" after seeing him train

He’s tipped the player for greatness.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 17, 2024

Their form has shown real inconsistency this season, and just when you think Chelsea are about to embark on a solid run of form, a terrible result derails that momentum with calls for Pochettino's sack coming to the forefront.

Supporters were heard jeering the Argentine in a recent 2-2 draw away to Brentford, and it is believed Chelsea have managerial alternatives to Pochettino in case they decide not to move forward with him next season.

Chelsea were also branded the "billion-pound bottlejobs" by Gary Neville after losing to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, something which Pochettino says isn't the case.

Chelsea vs Burnley

March 30th

Chelsea vs Man United

April 4th

Sheffield United vs Chelsea

April 7th

Chelsea vs Everton

April 15th

Aston Villa vs Chelsea

April 27th

"I don't know how you can describe this situation, but for sure I feel proud of the players, I think they made a big effort," said Pochettino in defence of his young Chelsea squad.

"We are a young team and nothing to compare with Liverpool because they finished also with a few young players. It is impossible to compare and he knows that. He knows the dynamics are completely different. I think it is not fair to talk in this way if he says that.

"But we are going to keep strong and believing in this project and see what we can do in the future."

A real saving grace for Pochettino could be Chelsea's looming FA Cup semi-final clash with Man City, as the Blues have a chance to make something of their season by dispatching Pep Guardiola's men and potentially reaching another cup final.

Chelsea "succession planning" for Pochettino

In the background, though, it is believed Chelsea are "succession planning" in the event Pochettino departs before next season. However, this isn't to be taken as an indication that the former Spurs boss will be given his P45.

“Chelsea don't feel like Pochettino is the sole cause of blame for being mid-table. They think that injuries are a factor and that it's just a young squad," said journalist Ben Jacobs.

"Pochettino is very liked by many of the squad. I think, therefore, Behdad Eghbali, Todd Boehly, the wider ownership and co-sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, will think long and hard before making a change unless their hand is just so forced by a string of poor results between now and the end of the season. So, nothing is predetermined with Pochettino.

“At the same time, Chelsea are succession planning. Succession planning is not the same as guaranteeing you will make a change or interviewing anyone, and often not even formally approaching anyone.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O lateral Victor Luiz, de 24 anos, esteve recentemente defendendo as cores do São Caetano, quando conquistou o título do Paulistão A2 e disputou a Série D. Ele tem passagens por outras equipes do futebol brasileiro, como o Londrina.

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>Veja 20 jovens promessas que se destacaram na fase de grupos do Paulistão

A carreira do atleta também ficou marcada por uma experiência diferente, quando atuou no futebol Búlgaro, na temporada 2017/2018. O atleta defendeu o Septemvri Sofia e relembrou a oportunidade na Europa, além de projetar o que espera dos próximos passos.

– Foi uma experiência bem legal, aprendi e vi outra cultura, conheci um novo idioma. O futebol de lá envolvem mais força do que técnica muitas vezes. Foi uma grande chance de aprender e evoluir. Hoje isso agrega muito na minha busca por uma nova oportunidade e no que vivi após retornar pro país. Relembrar isso dá forças pra seguir trabalhando em busca de um novo momento na minha carreira – disse.

O atleta foi formado nas categorias de base do São Caetano e retornou ao clube em 2020, quando teve a chance de disputar a segundona do paulista e a Série D. O atleta valorizou a oportunidade.

– Foi um período muito importante na minha carreira, conseguimos superar muitas dificuldades e conquistar o título da A2, que era disputada junto ao Brasileiro. Foi o clube que me formou e tive a chance de retornar, ainda conquistando uma taça. Foi um momento realmente especial na carreira.

T20I format comes to fore as England look to maintain attacking white-ball approach

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2019England’s build-up towards the 2020 T20 World Cup will begin in earnest this week, with the start of their five-match series against New Zealand, and Jonny Bairstow hopes the squad can channel the momentum of 50-over success into next year’s campaign in Australia.England lifted the World Cup for the first time in July, having overhauled their ODI cricket under the captaincy of Eoin Morgan. Although there has been less of a focus on T20 cricket, England did reach the World T20 final in 2016 and the core personnel in the white-ball teams is largely the same.In New Zealand, Morgan will oversee a squad featuring several new faces looking to make a mark. Bairstow is one of the senior batsmen on the tour, with Jason Roy, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali all rested, and after top-scoring in England’s warm-up victory in Lincoln on Sunday, he was excited about the challenge ahead.”I think it does feel like the start of that journey towards the T20 World Cup,” Bairstow said. “It’s going to come around thick and fast. Seeing guys who’ve played county cricket taking the step up to international cricket is going to be fascinating. That, coupled with the guys that are not on this tour but will come back into the team, there’s going to be competition for places.England XI for 2nd T20 warm-up

Dawid Malan, Tom Banton, James Vince, Eoin Morgan, Joe Denly, Sam Billings (wk), Lewis Gregory, Tom Curran, Saqib Mahmood, Pat Brown, Matt Parkinson

“The cycle for the 50-over World Cup started four years ago. Hopefully we’re fortunate enough that the way we’ve played our 50-over cricket will lead us well into our T20 cricket.”It’s a fascinating period to be playing cricket for England. There’s some very, very talented guys that have played a lot of cricket nowfor England that are all together and have the experience of going through the ups, the downs and everything in between.”While the T20I format tends to lose context between major global tournaments – England’s last outing, against Pakistan in May, saw Ben Duckett open the batting and Ben Foakes take the gloves – there is now a clear 12-month run-in for teams to hone their approach. Bairstow is one of a number of England players to have benefited from the ECB hierarchy relaxing its stance on IPL participation, and he suggested the Hundred could also increase Morgan’s options.”You’ve got guys playing T20 in competitions around the world whether that be the Indian Premier League, Big Bash or whatever it may be, so I’m not too sure it’s going to make too much of a difference,” Bairstow said.”Then you’ve got the Hundred that’s starting next year so that’s an even shorter format that will allow people to put their skills on show to potentially push for that squad.”The tour will also bring together many of the same players that contested the 50-over World Cup final during the English summer, on an emotionally draining day at Lord’s. New Zealand’s defeat on boundary countback is likely to gain a mention, even if there are no ODIs scheduled, and Bairstow said they were wary of the hosts’ qualities – despite captain Kane Williamson missing the series through injury.”They’re dangerous no matter what,” he said. “We’ll be expecting a very tough challenge and that’s every time you play against New Zealand because they’ve got quality all the way through. They are a great bunch of fellas but naturally what happened at Lord’s is going to be quite tough for those guys and there will be a fire in their belly and a hunger to put things right.”England could also draw inspiration from watching the rugby team see off the All Blacks in Japan on Saturday morning, setting up the possibility of more World Cup glory at New Zealand’s expense.”We all watched it at the team hotel and it was amazing to see,” Bairstow said. “To say you’ve watched the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand when England were playing New Zealand is pretty cool. Two England World Cup-winning teams in one year would be special, wouldn’t it?”

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer approach over the past few seasons has been pretty flawless, particularly in the summer.

This has allowed Ange Postecoglou to instantly install his philosophy into the squad to great effect.

Spurs are currently fifth in the Premier League after 25 matches, and their aim for the rest of the campaign will be to earn Champions League football.

#1 Liverpool

26

38

60

#2 Man City

26

33

59

#3 Arsenal

26

39

58

#4 Aston Villa

26

21

52

#5 Spurs

25

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A player who could well play a key part in their hopes of qualifying for the illustrious continental competition has seen his value soar since making his debut in 2018.

Oliver Skipp’s start to life at Spurs

Oliver Skipp is Tottenham through and through. The midfielder joined the club at the age of five and progressed through the youth teams to become an “integral member of the squad.”

The 23-year-old made his first Spurs start in the 2018 1-0 home victory over Burnley, where he impressed both in and out of possession. Throughout his 75 minutes on the field, Skipp won seven duels, made two tackles, and had 85% pass accuracy.

GK – Hugo Lloris

RB – Kieran Trippier

CB – Toby Alderweireld

CB – Ben Davies

LB – Danny Rose

CM – Moussa Sissoko

CM – Oliver Skipp

RW – Erik Lamela

CAM – Dele Alli

LW – Lucas

ST – Harry Kane

For the next two years, the England U21 star barely featured for the Lilywhites, and in the summer of 2020, he was sent on loan to Norwich, where he really began to make a name for himself.

Skipp started 45 matches in the Championship, becoming a key player and displaying great maturity in Norwich’s title-winning campaign. At this point, he was estimated to be valued at £8.6m as per Transfermarkt.

Oliver Skipp’s transfer value in 2024

After that impressive campaign at the Canaries, Skipp returned to Spurs full of confidence, and he was rewarded with 14 Premier League starts between the start of the season and the end of January, before he picked up a season-ending injury.

It’s fair to say that had he not had to deal with this setback, his progress today would be much further along the path to his potential, but he has become a player that can be relied upon frequently, whether that’s in the starting XI or off the bench.

This season, the “future captain,” as dubbed by sports broadcaster Abbi Grace Summers, has found it difficult to break into the first team ahead of the excellent Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma, but he has still featured 17 times.

His youth and skill set still make him a valuable player in the squad despite only starting four games, and according to CIES’ Football Observatory, Skipp is worth the same amount as Heung-min Son, £26m. Why is Son's valuation so low? Well, it has something to do with the fact his contract expires in 2025.

Dejan Kulusevski

£85m

Destiny Udogie

£68m

Romero, Porro, Johnson

£51m

Van de Ven, Sarr, Richarlison, Maddison

£43m

Skipp, Hojberg, Son, Emerson, Werner

£26m

Spurs' captain has been an immense signing since joining the club for £22m in 2015, and he has been the main focal point for Postecoglou’s side this campaign, netting 12 goals in the top flight while also picking up six assists.

For Skipp to be valued the same as the South Korean, he clearly must be a brilliant player, but his role at Spurs does seem to be that of a backup.

Regardless of what the number four’s future looks like, Tottenham will benefit from providing Skipp with an opportunity, as a sale would see them net 100% profit due to him being an academy star.