Tottenham Hotspur may have recruited well this summer, but manager Ange Postecoglou could be set to take one huge risk in an effort to gain a huge reward…

Who are Tottenham Hotspur signing this summer?

With the key acquisition of James Maddison underpinning a stellar window thus far, already it seems like their new system is slowly clicking into place.

Offensively they are free-flowing and brilliant to watch at times, and yet defensively they remain staunch.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

However, Cristian Romero remains somewhat unpredictable despite the key assets that underpin this new revolution, with his recklessness and injury record leaving his side short at times.

Therefore, perhaps the north London outfit could be set to secure an alternative for him, and a fine partner for their other new signing Micky Van de Ven, by reigniting their interest in Manchester United’s Harry Maguire.

It is expected that the Red Devils are holding out for a fee of around £40m.

Who is Harry Maguire moving to?

Whilst a host of clubs have been linked with a swoop for the out-of-favour ace, it seems like an opportunity has now opened up for the Lilywhites to take a solo swing to tempt him after West Ham United dropped out of the running.

Unwilling to wait for the 30-year-old to negotiate his payout to depart Old Trafford, they instead opted for the Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.

So, now the England international could be set to move to a different part of the capital, bolstering Postecoglou’s squad with his stellar ball-playing assets.

As a side that seeks to largely dominate the ball, having maintained a 63% possession across their two Premier League games thus far, Maguire could dominate when allowed to stride out from the back and forge chances from the back.

After all, pundit Kenny Cunningham boldly claimed after he completed his £80m move to Manchester:

“Harry #Maguire is the best ball-playing centre-half in football at the moment.”

This was best exemplified during the 2020/21 campaign, where he featured 34 times in the league and kept 13 clean sheets, maintaining an 87% pass accuracy alongside 1.8 interceptions and 3.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

With a manager that shows faith in him, he can be both a defensive hero as well as a ball-playing leader too.

The former was best exemplified through Erik ten Hag’s claims back in March, as the Dutchman noted:

“He is more dominant and dictating, taking more initiative on the training pitch and we saw in Seville against Betis where he showed leadership, especially in those aspects of initiative and dictation of the game.”

Pairing the right-footed stalwart with Van de Ven could offer the perfect balance at the back for Postecoglou’s all-action philosophy, with his physical assets also ideal to offer a counter for Maguire’s lack of speed.

Whilst Richard Dunne suggested he was “painfully slow”, Postecoglou's summer signing has instead been lauded for his pace by Wolfsburg’s sporting director Marcel Schäfer. He too outlined those balancing qualities:

“Left foot, extreme speed, plays every second. Micky [has performed] consistently very well throughout the season.

“He’s a player with huge potential and this season in particular has shown incredible development, playing himself into the spotlight with his performances.”

Whilst Romero and Van de Ven have already struck a fine partnership, Maguire could reignite a stuttering career in north London by joining Postecoglou’s revolution.

USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner says Gio Reyna has "grown up a ton" since his fallout with Gregg Berhalter at the 2022 World Cup.

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• Turner hailed Reyna's signing
• Joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Dortmund
• Says he has matured a lot

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper hailed his club's decision to sign compatriot Reyna on loan from Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window as he feels that the youngster could prove to be a real "asset". He also claimed that the 21-year-old winger has grown as an individual since his fallout with national team coach Gregg Berhalter during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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• WHAT MATT TURNER SAID

  Speaking to , Turner said: "He's grown up a ton right before my eyes. The best compliment I can give him is that right now I see a consistent approach for him every single day. He wants to be on the ball and he wants to make an impact on the game with the ball at his feet. I can see him being a really strong asset."

  The USMNT shot-stopper added: "Our coach's message has been to play a bit more, and Gio's that type of player. Once he establishes a better connection with some of the players and gets more familiar with their movements and how they want the ball, I can see him being a really strong asset."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The youngster missed several matches for Dortmund in the first half of the season due to injuries and had managed to clock just 360 minutes on the pitch for the German club. If he can adapt to the conditions in England, he could be a big help to Forest, who are currently just two points above the relegation zone.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NOTTINGHAM FOREST?

  Nuno Espirito Santo's side will be next seen in action on Wednesday as they take on Bristol City in a FA Cup fourth-round replay, but Reyna is ineligible to play because he wasn't registered in time to feature in the competition.

Sunderland have reportedly held talks over a move for Fulham striker Jay Stansfield, but the Black Cats aren’t the only club keen on the forward.

Are Sunderland signing a striker?

Tony Mowbray and those at The Stadium of Light have brought in six new players so far this summer in Jenson Seelt, Jobe Bellingham, Eliezer Mayenda, Nectarios Triantis, Bradley Dack and Luis Semedo.

However, the club have been on the search to sign a new forward for a number of weeks now, with Bellingham and Dack, primarily midfielders, occupying attacking roles in the 2-1 win over Rotherham United last time out. Bellingham was the match-winner with two goals, however, Mowbray admitted he wants to bring in a new striker who can run in behind.

"We're trying to control the game on most occasions, and then it's about seeing whether teams are going to press or sit off in a block.

"If we can get a striker in who wants to run in behind and wants to stretch them, it'll give us more space us to play in – that'll help us create more chances and win more games."

It looks as if the club are now working on a move for Stansfield, with The Sunderland Echo reporting that talks have been held with Fulham over a loan move. However, the report adds that several other clubs are also keen on bringing in Stansfield before the deadline.

Who is Jay Stansfield?

Stansfield initially came through the academy at Exeter City before moving to Fulham in 2019. Since then, the 20-year-old has gone on to make eight senior appearances for Fulham and spent last season back in Devon on loan with Exeter.

The forward contributed to 17 goals in 39 games in all competitions for the League One side and is now into the final 12 months of his Fulham contract, although the top-flight side have the option to extend that by a further year.

Kevin McDonald, who played alongside Stansfield at Exeter, praised the player as a forward who has "got it all".

“He's a top, top guy; he's willing to learn every single game and barely ever complains. We get on well and he's a good laugh too. He's technically gifted and a lovely finisher.

“He knows he needs to bulk up as such and he will over time. He's got it all, though. I said that when I was back there [at Fulham] a couple of years ago and even more so now.”

A loan move to a Championship side appears to make sense for Stansfield as he continues his development, and by the looks of things, that could be with Sunderland following discussions over a transfer.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may get their ‘Last Dance’ after all, with Julian Gressel saying Inter Miami would “love a rematch” with Al-Nassr.

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CR7 sat out friendly game due to injuryArgentine icon introduced as late substituteRematch could take place at some stageWHAT HAPPENED?

The Herons suffered a humbling 6-0 defeat when lining up against the Saudi Pro League outfit as part of their pre-season programme in 2024. Tata Martino’s side are still getting themselves up to speed and looked well off the pace against a team that are in the middle of their domestic campaign.

AdvertisementGetty WHAT GRESSEL SAID

Messi was only given seven minutes off the bench during Inter Miami’s final game in the Middle East, while Ronaldo did not figure at all due to injury. They could, however, cross paths again at some point, with Gressel saying when asked if the shock result proves MLS is behind the Pro League at present: “I don’t think you can compare. We are very early on in the process, only in our third week together as a team after a long couple months off. So, you can’t really compare. I think we would love to have a rematch at some point. That’s the competitor in me, maybe in an official competition like a Club World Cup.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Inter Miami have suffered three defeats through four friendly games so far, and are yet to pick up a win, but Gressel is not reading too much into form at this stage. The USMNT star added: “Ultimately, when the time comes, when it counts for us, that’s when we want to be at our best and these games are valuable, even though they sting quite a bit. I think it’s actually good to have games like this to prepare for the season. These aren’t your regular preseason games I’ve played in the past where you play in your training gear at times against other MLS teams. These are real games and that that will bode well for us.”

He went on to say: “Obviously not the result we wanted, but obviously, a lot of lessons to take. There’s a lot for us to learn from, for us to grow. There’s a ton of stuff we can look at on film, but it starts with us having a good start to the game. You can’t be down 3-0 in 12 minutes into the game. Those are lessons you learn in pre-season.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & INTER MIAMI?

Inter Miami have now travelled to the Middle East for meetings with a Hong Kong Select XI and Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe. They are due to get their 2024 MLS campaign up and running against Real Salt Lake on February 21.

Tasmania lost 6 for 17 in 11 overs to give South Australia a shot at a comeback in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2018
ScorecardA huge batting collapse by Tasmania gave South Australia the chance to pull off a stunning comeback in their Sheffield Shield clash in Hobart.The Tigers began their second innings 166 runs in front after bowling out the Redbacks for 227 early on day three. Tom Rogers picked up the last wicket to finish with four for the innings.Tasmania cruised to 1 for 83 with Jordan Silk making a swift half-century. They looked poised to take the game beyond the Redbacks reach but they lost 6 for 17 in 11 frantic overs. Joe Mennie removed Silk before Daniel Worrall and Nick Winter ripped through the middle order. A late fightback from Simon Milenko pushed the lead to 331. Worrall finished with 4 for 17.The Redbacks moved to 1 for 49 at stumps, having only lost debutant Conor McInerney.

Hibernian parted company with manager Lee Johnson over the weekend following a dreadful start to the 2023/24 campaign at Easter Road.

Although the club secured progress in the League Cup via a win over Raith Rovers while qualifying for the Europa Conference League playoff round, it hasn’t been enough to save Johnson.

Woeful European defeats to Inter Club d’Escaldes and Aston Villa sandwich an impressive two-legged performance against Swiss side Luzern, but their Premiership form has been nothing shy of disastrous.

They have yet to win a point across their first three matches as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, and although they have scored five times during these ties, conceding eight goals isn’t the form of top-four contenders.

The search for a new boss begins, and the club will need to get it right in order to return to form.

Who could be the new Hibs manager?

The moment a manager is relieved of their duties, the thoughts turn to who could be next in line to manage the team.

Former defender David Gray will lead the side on a caretaker position until a new boss is found, and they may wait until the international break to appoint someone.

The Scotsman have compiled a list of some ideal candidates for the Hibs board to consider and the vast majority of names could certainly be an improvement on Johnson.

Names include Derek McInnes, Neil Lennon, and former Celtic captain Scott Brown, but there is another name on the list who could be an excellent replacement for the recently departed 42-year-old at Easter Road; Marti Cifuentes.

Who is Marti Cifuentes?

The current Hammarby manager was actually linked with a move to Hearts before Steven Naismith was given the opportunity to lead the side, and it’s evident that clubs in Scotland have noticed his potential.

The Spaniard prefers to play with a 4-3-3 formation which could benefit from the quality that Hibs have in their midfield and attack.

He has managed 231 matches during his relatively short managerial career thus far and across those games, he has won 356 points at a rate of 1.54 points per game, whereas Johnson has won just 1.47 points per match.

Cifuentes enjoyed a solid first season in charge of the Swedish side, leading the team to third place in the league while just missing out on national cup success.

Such an achievement certainly makes him comparable to the former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who built up a wonderful reputation of his own in Sweden.

He led Ostersunds to the Swedish Cup while also claiming a stunning victory against Arsenal in the Europa League, something that secured him a move to England.

Cifuentes has also forged his career in Scandinavia, managing Sandefjord and Aalborg BK before getting the top job at Hammarby, averaging 1.81 points per match at his latest club.

Potter actually averaged fewer points per match (1.71) during his stint in Sweden, meaning the Spaniard looks like he could certainly follow in his footsteps.

Hibs should be making a concrete effort to lure the 41-year-old to Easter Road before another club lands him and the next few weeks could be interesting indeed.

Manish Pandey works Tabraiz Shamsi to deep fine leg for a single. “I’ve Got The Power” plays on the stadium’s PA system. Suresh Raina pushes the next ball straight to cover for a dot. “Here Comes The Hotstepper” blares out. Welcome to the new world of music after every ball in T20 cricket, assuming the paying public cares for it.Yes, songs have been played on a cricket ground in between overs and after boundaries for a while now. But Cricket South Africa is using the T20Is against India to trial the idea of playing music between deliveries. At the end of the series, the ticketholders will be asked to participate in an online survey and the decision to stop or keep going will be made based on the feedback.”Twenty20 is played in festive environment,” a CSA official said. “It is followed by families and kids. We wanted to see if our public wants more of the music and dance. We will of course listen to the people and see what the survey says. If they like it, we might even get a professional DJ at our grounds for T20.”The official said CSA was not taking the lead from what happened in the Trans-Tasman tri-series. Music between deliveries was tried during a game at Eden Park in Auckland last week and it received harsh criticism from the fans, including those on Twitter.As in South Africa, the cricket board in New Zealand is in charge of the music on game day. The negative response to the experiment brought immediate results: the music was reduced in the subsequent matches of the tri-series.”NZC is in charge of game day enhancements such as music, and they turned it down as soon as they were informed,” Eden Park tweeted in response to the complaints against the too-frequent music.

Lahore Qalandars whimpered to 119 against Quetta Gladiators, who in turn waltzed to their target with nine wickets and six overs to spare

Danyal Rasool24-Feb-2018In a nutshellThis was less a match than an incisive analysis of Lahore Qalandars’ weakness. In an amateur, unthinking batting display, Lahore whimpered to 119 against the Quetta Gladiators, who in turn felt no need to take any risks, and waltzed to the target with nine wickets and six overs to spare.The Qalandars were put in to bat, and Brendon McCullum, opening with Sunil Narine, gave their side the best possible start. Narine smashed Shane Watson for 24 runs in an over as Lahore raced to 45 in the first three overs. McCullum was timing the ball beautifully too, but as soon as Narine fell, Quetta’s bowlers found a way to break in. The first five overs fetched 50, the next 15 fetched 59, and the hollowness of Lahore’s middle order was on full display yet again.Watson was in devastating form, and Asad Shafiq at the other end was the perfect foil to him. Even though the pair took no unnecessary risks – just 41 were scored in the first six – Watson was just warming up. He took Narine for 21 runs in the seventh over, and from thereon Sarfraz Ahmed’s men were coasting. With scoreboard pressure non-existent, Quetta played as they wanted. In the end, the straight drive that sealed the win was a merciful end to a rotten day for Lahore.Where the match was wonLahore were playing a high-risk game. The result hinged on how long they could sustain that intensity. It was crucial for Quetta to strike early, and Narine’s wicket in the fourth over proved vital. Fakhar Zaman couldn’t repeat his heroics from Friday, spooning a return catch to Jofra Archer for one, and a clever review to effect a McCullum lbw saw Lahore lose their top three within 11 balls of each other. With the big three out of the way, Quetta’s stranglehold on the game was virtually invincible.The men that won itLast year, Lahore nearly defended 59 in a thrilling game they eventually lost by three wickets. A target of 120 could have been tricky, but Shafiq and Watson stomped on Lahore’s hopes. A wicketless Powerplay was followed by the pair finally letting loose, Watson responsible for much of the carnage as he stormed to 50 in just 28 balls. By the time he was dismissed for 66, his side were merely 28 runs away from victory, and the contest was all but over.Nawaz’s recordMohammad Nawaz would have been perfectly happy with not bowling in the Powerplay overs, but when he did come on, he couldn’t have been much better. Nawaz’s introduction dried up the singles altogether. Bowling a tight, unrelenting line and varying his pace adroitly, Nawaz rendered the the batsmen helpless. In a stunning four-over spell, he accounted for the dangerous McCullum and Cameron Delport, conceding just four runs – the most economical spell ever in the PSL.Moment of the match Watson is a seasoned T20 professional, and his pride would have taken a dent when Narine took him to task in the third over of Lahore’s innings, walloping him for three fours and two sixes in an over that cost 24 – the most expensive at this year’s PSL so far. Quietly, he began plotting his revenge, and finally pounced in the seventh over of the Gladiators innings. With Narine bowling, Watson hit him for two sixes and two boundaries, and took 21 off his over to give the West Indian a taste of his own medicine.Where they standLahore Qalandars are rock bottom of the table with two losses from two. Quetta have won one and lost the other, and are placed fourth.

After a positive period of progression under manager Mikel Arteta, Arsenal could be close to falling into a trap of the past, with the latest reports speculating an unexpected exit for one of the Emirates’ biggest stars.

The Gunners have had a successful summer of business so far, welcoming four talents in various positions as Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar aim to bolster the squad available for the 2023/24 campaign.

While gaining the maximum six points from their opening two fixtures and recruiting well this window has added to the highs, the north Londoners could suffer a blow if recent reports are to be believed.

Who could Arsenal sell this summer?

After bidding farewell to Matt Turner, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty and Pablo Mari, Arteta has offloaded some of the less valued members of the squad, besides Granit Xhaka, who opted for a new challenge in the Bundesliga.

There remains speculation over the future of Folarin Balogun, who is yet to be named in the squad under the manager since pre-season, with the United States international expected to leave north London before the end of the window.

Worrying news emerged on social media this week, as journalist Ahmed Al-Ajlan reported via sources of Al Jazeera that representatives of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad Club met with Gabriel Magalhaes in London.

The reporter claimed that talks between them and the Brazilian were ‘proceeding positively’, with questions over his future reinforced by him starting on the bench against Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Meanwhile, according to the Daily Mail, LaLiga giants Real Madrid are also keen to sign Gabriel, in a bid to solve their defensive injury crisis, so he's clearly a man in demand heading into the final two weeks of the transfer window.

How important is Gabriel Magalhaes to Arsenal?

Last campaign, the £100k-per-week centre-back featured in all 38 of the Gunners’ Premier League fixtures, contributing to 14 clean sheets and being a reliable figure in central defence alongside William Saliba.

Following the Frenchman’s injury, the 25-year-old remained consistent and commanding, proving to be one of the most integral players in Arteta’s squad.

Despite speculation being cooled by the Spaniard, the potential of losing Gabriel could be a repeat of former sales that have shocked the club in the past, not as much of a blow in recent times as Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean registered 125 goals and assists in 166 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 80 and assisting 45, prevailing as one of the best players of the Emirates era.

Despite holding such importance in the squad at the time, the winger was sold to Manchester United in 2018, leaving Arsenal without an explosive figure that was destined for greatness at the club.

Selling a player as crucial as Gabriel, who has been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Jason Soutar, could replicate the despondency caused by the sale of Sanchez, who had a similar status in north London.

The 25-year-old’s influence on the defence and his ability to mould into the defender that Arteta desired in his set-up is evident through his numbers, with him being a competent ball player and anchor in the back line.

As per FBref, last season the Brazilian maintained an average pass completion rate of 89.4%, while making an average of 4.04 progressive passes per 90 and winning 63% of his total duels per game, to showcase the complete nature of his role.

Edu could, therefore, sanction a nightmare should the former Lille titan depart north London for the lucrative lights of the Saudi Pro League or the prestige of the Santiago Bernabeu.

It would be a piece of business that could take those associated with the club back to the lows of the Sanchez departure.

Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be able to lure transfer targets down from the Championship this summer, says Lee Trundle.

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Red Dragons boast big ambitionHollywood stars make funds availableBack-to-back promotions targetedWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons have always boasted big ambition when it comes to recruitment, as Hollywood superstars make the funds available that turn dreams into reality. Few could have predicted that the likes of Paul Mullin, Elliot Lee and James McClean would be strutting their stuff at SToK Racecourse prior to a stunning takeover in 2021 being completed.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT TRUNDLE SAID

Wrexham are now setting their sights on promotion into League One, and former frontman Trundle – speaking to , who provide the latest – has said of tempting talent down from the second tier of English football: “I think other players will be tempted to drop down as Wrexham aren't a club who'll be happy to stay in League One. Wrexham want to grow and play Premier League football someday, and I'm sure plenty of players will be attracted to that."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Reaching the Premier League remains the ultimate goal for all of those associated with Wrexham, and Trundle sees no reason why that target cannot be hit. He added: “Everything about Wrexham indicates that they're setting up to play Premier League football – the owners have said it themselves. I've seen it with Swansea and I was a part of that journey who not only got to the Premier League but also won the League Cup and attained Europa League football! If you had said that 15 years ago, nobody would have believed you and you would have been silly to even say it!

"That's the beauty of football. Wrexham have a strong backing and they know how to grow their brand. They've had Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, and other actors in attendance, and they're showing the club off as a potential investment. I think that's where they'll move as they continue to climb. There's no reason why they can't go into the Premier League.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham will see the playing field level somewhat if they do step up into League One, with there plenty of big clubs to be found in that division, but there is no sign of impressive progress on and off the field slowing down in North Wales.