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Ryan Stevenson’s career-best 4 for 71 keeps Hampshire in contest

ECB Reporters Network08-Aug-2020Ryan Stevenson and Martin Andersson recorded career-bests for their respective sides as Middlesex and Hampshire fought out an absorbing first day of their Bob Willis Trophy encounter at Radlett.Devon-born seamer Stevenson, recalled for only his sixth first-class game, took 4 for 71, doubling his first-class wicket tally in the process, but Andersson, a man with just eight first-class matches behind him, hit 92 to take the hosts to 252 all out.Liam Dawson, Keith Barker and James Fuller were also among the wickets, seemingly justifying Sam Northeast’s decision to bowl first, but James Harris took two wickets to leave the visitors 27 for 2 in reply after a seesaw day of action.Northeast’s decision to field raised eyebrows given their hosts opted for two spinners on a pitch expected to turn late in the match.However, in humid conditions and thanks to some early seam movement, it didn’t take the visitors’ attack long to reward their captain’s faith. In just the third over Barker bowled Sam Robson for a duck with a beauty which clipped the top of off stump.Nick Gubbins, fresh from his hundred in the win over Surrey also didn’t stay long. The left-hander got away with one top edge hook over the slips, only to play the shot again in the same over and hole out to Felix Organ at fine leg, so giving Fuller a wicket against his former county. And when the Stevenson got in on the act for the first time, trapping home skipper Stevie Eskinazi for 18, Middlesex were struggling at 41 for 3.That was Andersson’s cue to enter the fray and he played positively from the off, steadying the ship in the company of opener Max Holden either side of the lunch interval.Holden was dropped at slip by Ian Holland off the luckless Barker early in the afternoon, but the drop wasn’t costly as the same combination accounted for the left-hander for 36 shortly afterwards – a wonderful catch taken just millimetres from the turf to end a stand of 44.Andersson was given his one life on 23 when Dawson spilt a difficult chance at slip and he went on to make the most of his reprieve, reaching 50 from 71 balls with eight fours. He found a staunch ally in wicketkeeper John Simpson, who after a sticky start hit Barker for three successive fours.Dawson dropped Simpson on 26, but like Holland earlier atoned soon afterwards to give Stevenson a second wicket and end a stand of 93 for the fifth wicket. Dawson, back from England ODI duty then struck with the ball having Harris taken at slip off the last ball before tea.Six more boundaries took Anderson past his previous best of 83 against Lancashire at Old Trafford last September and to within touching distance of a maiden first-class hundred, but he came up eight short when Fuller trapped him lbw.Tom Helm and Nathan Sowter added useful runs for the eighth wicket before Stevenson returned to dismiss the latter and Thilan Walallawita off successive balls to cap his excellent day.Helm ensured a second batting point by striking Dawson for a towering straight six, but Dawson had him caught and bowled later in the same over.With 14 overs left to bat, Hampshire looked set to get to the close unscathed before Harris found the edge of Organ’s bat and Sowter took a sharp catch at second slip.Barker was sent in as nightwatchman, but that plan backfired when Harris struck a second time with one that splayed the stumps, leaving the match intriguingly poised ahead of day two.

Wayne Rooney says he is "angry" and "disappointed" after his Plymouth side were thumped 4-0 by Sheffield Wednesday in his first game in charge.

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• Plymouth thumped 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday
• Rooney lays into players in first game as manager
• Ex-Man Utd star was furious after match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Goals from Jamal Lowe, Josh Windass, Michael Smith and a Brendan Galloway own-goal secured Wednesday a well-earned victory on Sunday as Rooney's Plymouth tenure began with a whimper. The former Derby County manager said the Owls "deserved" the three points, that his team failed to do the basics and wants a reaction after the defeat.

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  WHAT WAYNE ROONEY SAID

  He told after the game: "I think the scoreline was deserved. The really disappointing thing was the basics of winning balls, second balls, stopping crosses; I think it was four goals from four crosses. The basics of the game weren't there so that's really disappointing for me. As a team we didn't play with the confidence we have shown the last few weeks [in pre-season], we didn't take the ball well enough, we didn't handle the crowd early on enough, and allowed Sheffield Wednesday to get a foothold in the game and they got the goal at a good time for them. Towards the end of the game, we conceded two more goals. Really disappointed, angry; because that's not a performance I want to see."

  Rooney added: "I think players have to earn the right to play on the pitch. Whether that's a new player, a player that has been here for a long time, you have to earn the right to play. Of course, you can lose football games but there's a way in which you want to see your players work, run, tackle. We've had a lot of fans travel here today, they've travelled a long way and the performance we have given wasn't good enough. It's very disappointing and we have to make sure that doesn't happen again."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rooney is under pressure to deliver as a manager after getting sacked at Birmingham earlier this year and failing to win more than 30 per cent of his games in charge of Derby and D.C. United. The ex-Everton man needs to improve the club's fortunes quickly, or else he could be looking for another job soon.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Rooney's Plymouth will look to bounce back from this drubbing when they take on League Two team Cheltenham Town on Wednesday night in round one of the Carabao Cup. Another loss there and the pressure will ramp up on the former Birmingham City boss.

Daniel Flynn, the former New Zealand and Northern Districts left-hand batsman, has called time on his 16-year-long career, at age 34.In an international career spanning a little over five years, Flynn played 24 Tests, 20 ODIs, and five T20Is, making a combined 1325 runs, including six half-centuries. He batted almost three hours in the second innings of his debut Test at Lord’s, his 118-ball 29 helping New Zealand salvage a draw. The early days of his international career are also remembered for him walking off Old Trafford with a mouthful of blood and two fewer teeth as a result of a vicious James Anderson bouncer that he copped during the opening day’s play. His last international appearance came in July 2013, during a Test match against South Africa where he made a pair.Flynn played 135 first-class matches and scored 7815 runs, including 21 centuries, at an average of 35.04. He featured in 100 first-class matches for Northern Districts, leading them in 47 of them, aside from making 88 and a record 104 appearances for them in List A and T20 matches respectively. His 20 first-class hundreds for Northern Districts are the most by any batsman from the side.”Representing your country is the ultimate for any cricketer; it’s what you dream of as a kid, so to have achieved it is something I look back on with immense satisfaction,” Flynn was quoted as saying by . “The people I’ve played alongside throughout my career stand out for me; they’re not just good cricketers, but good people, who I’ve learned plenty from both on and off the field.”Winning trophies for ND alongside these guys was always special, and those are memories that I will never forget.”

Bangladesh batsman says the team got fewer runs than they wanted, but they can still fight back with quick wickets

Umar Farooq in Rawalpindi07-Feb-2020Bangladesh’s fight in the middle order was bookended by wickets falling cheaply in the first Test against Pakistan, as they were bowled out for 233 on the opening day in Rawalpindi. Bowling first after winning the toss, Pakistan dismantled Bangladesh’s top order to leave them 2 for 3, before the middle order rallied somewhat. But although there were three stands that crossed fifty, none went beyond 59. Najmul Hossain Shanto, playing in just his third Test, rued that the Bangladesh batsmen didn’t capitalise on their partnerships.Shanto (44 off 110) had put on 59 for the third wicket with captain Mominul Haque, while the highest scorer of the innings, Mohammad Mithun, took part in stands of 54 and 53 for the sixth and seventh wickets. Shanto and Mominul were helped by Pakistan’s bowlers spraying the ball a little, perhaps becoming over-eager after the early strikes on a green top. However, the bowlers settled down and found a nagging length, and continued to strike regularly.Six of Bangladesh’s batsmen – from No.3 to No.8 – got starts, going past 20 but Mithun’s 63 was the only fifty-plus score, a fact that Shanto described as disappointing.”There was little bit of movement in the early few overs, but then later it turned into a good batting wicket,” Shanto said. “But I think we needed to be more patient. With early wickets there, we were under pressure but then the way Mominul batted it was good for us to go on. We needed to build on the partnership, have a stand of over 100 or something. Had we had a good partnership, it could have been different. I am disappointing that we didn’t capitalise.”The day belonged to Pakistan, but Bangladesh can take some positives, having batted the whole day against hostile fast bowling. Shanto was optimistic that Bangladesh were still in the match and could learn from their first-innings experience.”To me, the wicket was good for batting with not much seam movement after the first five to six overs,” Shanto said. “But Pakistan’s bowlers were patient kept on hitting the right line and maintained it. We, however, managed to get some runs on the board. We are still short of runs but if we get a few quick wickets then it will give us a chance. Whatever we have done is done, and we have to look ahead now and think about how well we can bowl. It’s challenging, but we obviously have to bowl well. I believe we can still get back in the game.”

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, with Reyna and Yunus Musah looking to debut with new clubs

And just like that, we're back. After two weeks of drama with the U.S. men's national team, several stars return to their clubs in Europe. The spotlight and pressure is back on, with several important fixtures for Americans. 

Gio Reyna spent the last two years fighting through uncertainty with his club in Dortmund. After his transfer, this weekend could mark his debut as a member of Gladbach, who host Werder Bremen.

In Spain, Johnny Cardoso could be a man on a mission when Atletico face off against Villarreal. With USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino stressing that his "real" squad and strategy will surface in October friendlies, Cardoso will want to send a message that he belongs.

And Christian Pulisic returns to AC Milan to face Bologna after a strong performance against Japan in the USMNT's 2-0 win earlier this week. 

GOAL looks ahead at some of the biggest storylines to follow among Americans Abroad this weekend.

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  Reyna's next chapter to begin?

  Reyna said it best. 

  "I believe I'll be there. That was one of the reasons for my move. I'm in open contact with the coach. If I play well at Borussia, I'll definitely find my way back to the national team," he told BILD. 

  The midfielder was referencing next year's World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Considering how Reyna's last World Cup went, with former manager Gregg Berhalter hinting he wanted to send Reyna home due to his showings at practice, the 2026 tournament could be a chance to turn the page.

  In many ways, that moment shifted Reyna's once-promising momentum and led to the turbulence that's followed him since. Still, as Reyna noted, he's got to play and play well for his new club. He might have a chance to do so Sunday, as the American could make his first appearance for the

  Early on, there's been positive sentiment towards the move as Reyna has reunited with NYCFC academy and USMNT teammate Joe Scally. He also dropped a stunning assist during the international break in a club friendly, playing centrally for the Bundesliga side. 

  Yet, friendlies and league matches are different realities, and Gladbach face a tough challenge ahead in Werder. Both clubs have gotten off to slow starts, sitting 14th and 16th in the table, respectively. Considering the stakes, it will be interesting to see if Reyna is given a spot in the starting XI or worked into the game as a substitute. In either case, Reyna appears hungry to get things back on track. 

  "I'm now at a point where I want to take the next step and take my career to a higher level. I feel ready for it – and that's why I came to Gladbach," he said. 

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  Cardoso with a point to prove

  The move for Cardoso to Atletico Madrid hasn't gone to plan. He was pulled at halftime during his league debut for Atleti, and while his playing time has increased in later fixtures, the team's fortunes have not. Expected to be a dark horse contender for La Liga and the Champions League, Diego Simeone's side has dropped points in its three opening matches.

  More worrying is the fact that the results have all come against clubs Atleti was expected to beat – Espanyol, Elche and Alaves. The pressure is higher than ever for Simeone, who is on the hot seat for the first time in his 14 years as Atletico's manager. 

  Things don't get any easier with Villarreal. are traditionally one of Spain's most competitive sides, finishing among of La Liga's European slots each season. With the international break done, can Atleti turn things around? Will Cardoso be more adjusted to his role after being given a break from the USMNT by Pochettino?

  The midfielder has had some solid moments, totaling seven tackles in his three matches, but needs to be wary of yellow cards – he already has two in three matches. Concern will build if Atleti remain winless, and with good reason. There is already speculation about Simeone's future. New managers often bring new philosophies and that could impact Cardoso, who is still trying to secure a role with the national team.

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  Pulisic back with the Rossoneri

  Pulisic put a summer of headlines behind him with a solid showing for the USMNT against Japan. Now, back with AC Milan, the American star will need to carry over some of his international success to the Rossoneri, who have gotten off to an uneven start this season.

  Under Max Allegri, Pulisic's fourth manager since joining the Serie A side two years ago, Milan were stunned by newly-promoted US Cremonese before getting back on track against Lecce. The team will look to build momentum when it faces Bologna, the team it lost the Coppa Italia final to last season. 

  Despite last year's cup win, Bologna have a terrible record against Milan – winning just two of the last 20 league encounters between the sides. And Pulisic has found a measure of success against the North Italian side. He has two goals and an assist in four Serie A appearances against Bologna, including a goal and assist in their last encounter on May 9, a 3-1 Milan win. Will it be more of the same? 

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  Musah set for a fresh start

  Another possible debut could come from Yunus Musah at Atalanta. Musah's future had been speculated upon all summer, and the midfielder appeared to indicate he wanted to stay at AC Milan. Yet, on the transfer deadline, Musah ended up joining Atalanta on loan, with a option for a future transfer. 

  Despite his desire to stay, Musah might have landed on his feet with Manager Ivan Juric apparently is a big fan of Musah's biggest strength as a footballer, his versatility, and reportedly believes the American is a perfect fit for his tactics. The midfielder can also count on playing Champions League football, something that wasn't on offer at Milan after they finished eighth last season. 

  Atalanta are searching for their first win of the season. The team opened the season with a draw in its first two fixtures, but it does get a slight reprieve in facing 17th-placed Lecce – a team Musah beat before the international break with AC Milan. 

‘The ECB’s policies played a key part in winning the World Cup, but are about to play a key part in losing the Ashes’

George Dobell in Leeds23-Aug-2019Just as you wouldn’t go to your butcher for your eye surgery or your vet for your vegetables, so you shouldn’t be asking a middle-order batsman to open the batting in Test cricket.Yes, we know Jason Roy can do the role in ODI cricket. But ODI cricket is played with a Kookaburra ball that barely swings. And it’s played, on the whole, on pretty flat wickets where the bowlers gain little seam movement. It is, in short, a different game.Opening the batting in first-class cricket is a specialist role. It’s not so much about the shots you play as the shots you don’t. It’s about knowing which balls to leave, about having the patience to wear bowlers down and the defensive technique to withstand the moving ball. And if you don’t have someone who can do that, you risk exposing a middle-order that may legitimately not have those skills, to the new ball and fresh bowlers.While Roy could, perhaps, learn the skills required to open in Test cricket, expecting him to do so at this level – and against an attack as good as this – is naïve to the point of recklessness. He does not open for England Lions and he does not open at county level. While Surrey did, briefly, experiment with him in the position, it was a ploy they abandoned in 2012. And it wasn’t because he made it all look too easy. In all, he averages 31.65 in the role (which he last attempted, in just two innings, in 2015) in first-class cricket. He now has the second-lowest average (9.80) for an opener with five-plus innings in the Ashes since the start of the 1900s. Only Geoff Cook, who averaged 9.00 in the 1982-83 Ashes, is lower in that time.Whether Roy has the appetite for the role is unclear. A couple of day ahead of this game, he spent much of his time in the nets trying to slog almost every delivery he faced into the stands. Maybe it was an exercise designed to build his confidence but, in the long-term, it is competence than breeds confidence. It rarely works the other way around.It seems absurd that an England system that prides itself on attention to detail – this is the side, remember, that provided its players with a cookbook involving various quinoa recipes in a bid to ensure they were in optimum position – can take such a laissez-faire attitude to such a key position. And absurd they can go into such games, against such attacks – and we really do have to acknowledge that this is a terrific Australia bowling line-up – with such a makeshift solution despite their coach acknowledging ahead of the game that Roy is, in his view, better suited to the middle-order.So it was irresponsible to pick Roy for this role. Just as it was irresponsible to ask Ollie Pope to bat at No. 4 – a position he had never fulfilled – in the Test series last summer. Pope, you may recall, came into the Test team having never batted before the 20th over of a first-class innings. He was used to batting at No. 6 for Surrey.On both occasions, the over-promotion of Roy and Pope risked ruining a talented player. Nathan Leamon, the sometime England analyst, has previously talked of data that suggests that the longer it takes new players to achieve success, the less likely it is they will go on to enjoy long careers. Destroying players’ self-confidence in the formative stages of their career could cause lasting damage. The fact that England are considering swapping the positions of Roy and Joe Denly – who looked so out of depth while batting on Friday that it was tempting to call the coastguard – is not especially encouraging.In truth, Roy is probably not well suited to batting at No. 4 in Test cricket, either. It would be easier, for sure, but it would still require patience, technique and discipline. And while he is a man with many skills, the stroke that brought his dismissal here – edging a drive at one outside off stump that left him a fraction – did nothing to suggest he has those qualities. He might well prove best at No. 6. But England aren’t looking for No. 6s.Conditions were pretty good for batting on Friday. Yes, the attack was good and there was seam movement. But it was sunny and there was none of the swing that troubled batsmen on Thursday. England would be deluding themselves if they hid behind the conditions as a reason for this capitulation.Ed Smith, the head selector who has pushed for Roy to open, Pope to bat at No. 4 and Denly to win an extended chance in the side, does not emerge from this situation especially well. He has previously defended his selection policy by stating, “there has to be a compelling reason not to have one of your top players in the team”. But such a naïve policy ignores the balance required to build a side; it ignores the specialism required at this level; it involved far too much wishful thinking. It just isn’t working.Ultimately, though, all these issues stem back to one fundamental problem: county cricket does not appear to be producing top-order batsmen of the quantity or quality required. Until they do, England’s team management will always be looking for contingencies and England’s middle-order will continue to be exposed. Eventually, the penny will drop at the ECB, that by eroding the primacy of the county championship, they have eroded their Test team’s ability to compete. They are the ones to blame for these embarrassments. The team is simply the product of a broken system.There are, however, some other options. There’s Dom Sibley, of Warwickshire, who has churned out runs consistently over the last year and has the patience of an old-school opener. There’s Zak Crawley, who looks a fine talent and plays the short ball particularly well, but who is very young, very green and, perhaps, a little vulnerable to expose at this stage. And there are the likes of Sam Robson and Mark Stoneman whose averages in the high 20s or low 30s are suddenly not looking all that shabby.But increasingly, as you cast around the counties for options, you are reminded of Bob Dylan’s great line: “All these people that you mention, I know them they’re quite lame, I had to rearrange their faces and give them all another name.” It probably won’t matter too much who England pick. The system is broken.Sound like hyperbole? Well, this was England’s lowest Ashes total since 1948 and their second-lowest since 1909. It was the fourth time in the Trevor Bayliss era that they have been bowled out for under 100; no other Test side has suffered such an indignity so often. It keeps happening. And if things keep happening, they can’t be dismissed as an aberration.There is a lack of respect for the old virtues of batting; for determination and patience and technique. And there is a lack of respect given to the county game which builds players; truly, the changes made in recent years amount to an act of vandalism. If the ECB truly care about Test cricket – oh, they talk a good game, but there’s very little evidence of anything other than talk – they will acknowledge that you don’t build Test success by focusing on white-ball cricket and you don’t build a team by picking the most attractive stroke-makers. The ECB’s policies played a key part in winning the World Cup, but are about to play a key part in losing the Ashes.England’s Test batting is painfully weak. Perhaps as weak as it has ever been. Unless the ECB have the courage to change the county structure – and yes, that includes backtracking on the monstrosity that is the white-ball window and accepting that the focus on The Hundred won’t do a thing to help the Test team – it will keep happening.

Chattogram sign up Chris Gayle; Dawid Malan, Sherfane Rutherford also bag contracts

Mohammad Isam18-Nov-2019Tamim Iqbal will once again work with coach Mohammad Salahuddin in this season’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), this time for the Dhaka Platoon team – the pair had played key roles in Comilla Victorians’ triumph last season.Tamim was the first pick in the draft on Sunday, and the Dhaka side later picked Mashrafe Mortaza too, a second A-plus category player.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, the two other A-plus local players, went to Khulna Tigers and Chattogram Challengers respectively. Rangpur Rangers took Mustafizur Rahman, while Rajshahi Royals got Liton Das. Cumilla Warriors – the name the franchise will go by this season, following the official change in the city’s name last year – also signed Soumya Sarkar and Sylhet picked Mohammad Mithun from the locals’ A category.Among the overseas players, last season’s highest scorer in the BPL, Rilee Rossouw, was picked by Khulna while Chattogram picked up Chris Gayle. Rangpur took Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi and West Indies batsman Shai Hope, Sylhet took the big-hitting Sherfane Rutherford, and Rajshahi picked Afghanistan opener Hazratullah Zazai. Sri Lanka big-hitter Kusal Perera and England’s Dawid Malan, who was in red-hot form in the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand, went to Cumilla.There are some new faces among the coaches too: Ottis Gibson (Cumilla), Grant Flower (Rangpur), Kabir Ali (Chattogram) and Owais Shah (Rajshahi), while Khaled Mahmud is likely to be with the Khulna side.No captains have been named yet for the squads.Full squadsChattogram Challengers: Mahmudullah, Imrul Kayes, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Chris Gayle, Kesrick Williams, Nurul Hasan, Enamul Haque, Muktar Ali, Pinak Ghosh, Avishka Fernando, Rayad Emrit, Nasum Ahmed, Junaid Siddique, Ryan Burl, Imad WasimCumilla Warriors: Soumya Sarkar, Al-Amin Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Yasir Ali, Kusal Perera, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sunzamul Islam, Abu Hider, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Sumon Khan, Dawid Malan, Dasun Shanaka, Fardeen Hasan OnyDhaka Platoon: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Hasan Mahmud, Mahedi Hasan, Thisara Perera, Laurie Evans, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Shuvagata Hom, Mashrafe Mortaza, Wahab Riaz, Asif Ali, Raqibul Hasan, Jaker Ali, Shahid Afridi, Luis ReeceKhulna Tigers: Mushfiqur Rahim, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Aminul Islam, Rilee Rossouw, Robert Frylinck, Shamsur Rahman, Saif Hassan, Mehidy Hasan, Shahidul Islam, Mohammad Amir, Najibullah Zadran, Tanvir Islam, Aliss Islam, Rahmanullah GurbazRajshahi Royals: Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Abu Jayed, Farhad Reza, Ravi Bopara, Hazratullah Zazai, Taijul Islam, Alok Kapali, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Irfan Sukkur, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Irfan, Minhajul Abedin Afridi, Nahidul IslamRangpur Rangers: Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Naim, Arafat Sunny, Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Nabi, Shai Hope, Taskin Ahmed, Zakir Hasan, Fazle Mahmud, Nadif Chowdhury, Rishad Hossain, Lewis Gregory, Cameron Delport, Sanjit SahaSylhet Thunders: Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Islam, Sohag Gazi, Sherfane Rutherford, Shafiqullah, Rony Talukdar, Nayeem Hasan, Delwar Hossain, Monir Hossain, Johnson Charles, Naveen-ul-Haq, Ruyel Miah, Jeevan Mendis

da leao： The January transfer window has been open for two weeks and Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the busiest sides in the Premier League so far.

da cassino online： Ange Postecoglou has not wasted any time to improve his squad after a difficult first half of the campaign, due to injuries and suspensions throughout the team.

Timo Werner has been brought in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig to add to the club's depth out wide and in the number nine position.

Meanwhile, Radu Dragusin has been signed on a permanent deal from Serie A side Genoa to compete with the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Ben Davies.

His arrival also allowed the club to sanction an exit for stalwart Eric Dier, who has joined Harry Kane at German giants Bayern Munich on an initial loan.

They still have two weeks left to complete more business in the market to give themselves the best chance of achieving success in the months to come.

Spurs interest in Championship showman

At the start of the month, The Daily Mail reported that Norwich City forward Jonathan Rowe is one of a number of players the club have their eye on.

They are not the only Premier League side eyeing up the England U21 international this month, though, as a host of other teams are interested in him.

Football Insider reported in October that Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are both keeping tabs on his performances for the Canaries in the second tier.

However, the outlet added that Norwich will not be willing to entertain any offers for his services in January as they want to keep hold of their top talent until the end of the season as they battle for promotion to the top-flight.

This means that Spurs, alongside Villa and Palace, may need to wait until the summer to be able to strike a deal to sign the talented youngster, who was in the academy set-up at Carrow Road when current Tottenham star James Maddison was strutting his stuff in Norfolk.

Norwich's refusal to sell him this month means that there is no potential fee mentioned for him and that may remain the case until the end of the season, which makes it hard to gauge how viable a deal is for Spurs from a financial perspective.

However, if it is within the budget then Tottenham must push to secure his services as Postecoglou could repeat the masterclass the club played with Dele Alli – who arrived from a lower league club to make an instant impact.

Dele's incredible journey

The impressive attacking midfielder started his career with MK Dons in League One and burst onto the scene as a regular during the 2013/14 campaign.

Dele produced 22 goals and 12 assists in 72 League One appearances in his two full seasons at first-team level for the club to earn himself a transfer to Spurs halfway through the 2014/15 campaign – and loaned back to MK for the remainder of the season – for a fee of £5m.

It did not take him any time to adjust to top-flight football as the teenage whiz racked up ten goals and nine assists in 33 Premier League games during his first term with Tottenham.

He followed that up with an outstanding 18 goals and nine assists in 37 league matches for the Lilywhites during the 2016/17 campaign, before a return of nine goals and 11 assists in 36 outings the following season.

However, the England international has not played more than 15 league games in a campaign since the 2019/20 season and has not been able to get back to the sublime form he displayed in his first few years at Spurs.

Dele bravely opened up to Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel about his personal trauma and struggles that contributed to his drop-off in form on the pitch in recent seasons, which makes the success he did have early in his career all the more impressive.

There is no doubt that the 27-year-old whiz was a phenomenal player for Tottenham at his best as he seamlessly made the transition from the Football League to the Premier League, which is what Rowe will be hoping to replicate.

The statistics that show why Rowe could be the next Dele

The Norwich star has been in fantastic form in the Championship this season and has showcased his immense potential by tearing the league up at the age of 20.

He did, however, make 13 appearances in the Premier League as an 18/19-year-old during the back end of the 2021/22 campaign and registered one assist as his side were relegated from the top-flight.

Rowe then missed 42 of the club's 46 Championship matches through injury last season and returned last summer to finally make his mark on the pitch.

The 20-year-old wizard has dazzled defences with his frighteningly quick feet and exceptional finishing – most recently against Hull on Friday night.

As you can see in the clip above, he has the skill, balance, and composure to weave inside and out of opposition players at pace whilst also being able to provide superb end product.

Rowe has been lethal in front of goal for the Canaries so far this season. He has racked up 11 goals from just 4.29 xG in 25 Championship appearances, which shows that the young gem has been incredibly efficient in the final third.

The Norwich magician, who was described as a "showman" by Sky Sports commentator Gary Weaver, has also completed 1.2 dribbles and made 1.0 key passes per match for his side.

Jonathan Rowe's most recent appearance for Norwich

Vs Hull City (via Sofascore)

Output

Minutes played

82

Goals

One

Touches

35

Dribbles completed

Three

Tackle

Two

Interceptions

Two

Impressively, the exciting whiz has also won 52% of his physical duels and made 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game across his 25 league outings, which shows that he has dealt with the physical side of the Championship and does not get bullied by opposition defenders in 50/50 battles.

Therefore, Rowe appears to have all the qualities needed to make the step up to the top-flight due to his overperformance in front of goal, his physical attributes, and his age.

This is why Spurs must swoop to sign the young gem as he could be the next Football League talent to shine in North London, just as Dele did at his peak.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to secure a deal to extend Pierluigi Gollini’s stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite previous reports suggesting that Tottenham will not be looking to make the Atalanta goalkeeper’s loan deal a €15m (£12.5m) permanent switch this summer, Fabio Paratici now would like to extend the stay of the 27-year-old in north London.

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However, the report goes on to state that Torino are also interested in a move for the Italy international this summer, with the Serie A side believed to already be in contact with the shot-stopper regarding a switch to the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.

Paratici must axe Gollini

Considering just how little Gollini has featured for Tottenham since joining the club last summer, in addition to the widespread reports that Spurs previously had no intention of activating the goalkeeper’s purchase clause, the news that Paratici could now be considering a deal to keep the shot-stopper on is certainly surprising.

Indeed, over his four appearances in the Europa Conference League this season, the £9m-rated stopper did little to convince that he would be a worthwhile signing for Spurs, being unable to keep a clean sheet against the likes of Stade Rennais, NS Mura and Vitesse, in addition to conceding an average of 1.5 goals and making just 1.3 saves – at a success rate of 45% – per game.

These returns saw the £23k-per-week Italian who John Wenham dubbed both “damaging” and “unnecessary” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.25, ranking him as Conte’s second-worst performer in the competition.

Furthermore, with it being reported that Tottenham are closing in on the signing of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a free transfer – an England international who highly impressed during his last campaign in the Premier League – a move to sign Gollini for around £12.5m appears to make even less sense this summer – leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Paratici simply must axe the Atalanta shot-stopper at the end of the current campaign.

AND in other news: Paratici could land Spurs their own KDB with £68m signing, he’d be “unreal” for Conte

Ipswich Town have now made an approach to sign a new £17m striker, who is also a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, according to a report.

Ipswich keen on new striker following Delap departure

Ipswich have made a strong start to the summer transfer window, securing deals for the likes of Azor Matusiwa, Cedric Kipre and Ashley Young.

However, Kieran McKenna has a big decision on his hands following Liam Delap’s move to Chelsea, as he can choose to either press on with George Hirst as the main man in attack, or pursue a move for a new striker.

Hirst arguably struggled to make the step-up to the Premier League last season, scoring just three goals, but the centre-forward was a reliable source of goals and assists during the 2023-24 Championship campaign, amassing 13 goal contributions in 26 games.

As such, the 26-year-old could be capable of leading the line for a promotion-chasing side, but the Tractor Boys have now made an approach to sign a new striker, who is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

He's their new Delap: Ipswich prioritising move to sign 25 y/o La Liga star

The Tractor Boys desperately need a Delap replacement.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 25, 2025

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which states Ipswich have now made contact over a deal for Metz forward Idrissa Gueye, who could be available for a fee of around £17m this summer.

However, there may be fierce competition for Gueye’s signature, as Liverpool have made an approach of their own, alongside the likes of West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Borussia Dortmund, showing just how highly the 18-year-old is rated.

With a number of the Serie A’s top clubs and Manchester United also interested in the striker, it could be difficult for the Tractor Boys to get a deal over the line, but there is certainly interest on their behalf, and the race is now underway.

Gueye could be real coup for Ipswich

It would be a real coup if McKenna’s side were able to sign the Metz forward, given how highly he is regarded, having previously been likened to a Liverpool legend, with journalist Alan Nixon revealing the youngster is “rated as highly as Sadio Mane was”.

The Senegalese starlet has already managed to force his way into the Metz first team, picking up five goals and one assist in 17 Ligue 2 outings last season, indicating that he may now be ready to lead the line for a Championship side.

However, given that Gueye is being pursued by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, it seems unlikely that Ipswich will be able to get a deal over the line, meaning it may be worth moving on to a more attainable target.

Widespread claims have suggested that Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford could also be in the Tractor Boys’ sights, and the 31-year-old may well be a solid signing, having picked up a total of 69 goals and 15 assists in 217 Championship appearances.