Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly among the clubs who are showing an interest in Eintracht Frankfurt forward, Randal Kolo Muani, with questions marks still lingering regarding Harry Kane's long-term future at N17.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

With rumours rife that Bayern Munich are desperate to try and sign the England skipper – having lodged a £70m offer for the 29-year-old this week – it looks as if Spurs could, ironically, look to the Bundesliga to find a possible replacement for their record goalscorer.

That's according to the Independent's Miguel Delaney, with the transfer insider revealing that the Lilywhites – alongside both Bayern and Manchester United – have 'seriously looked' at Kolo Muani, albeit with Paris Saint-Germain currently the frontrunners in the battle to land the 24-year-old.

As per the report, the nine-cap France international – who was linked with a move to north London back in the winter window – could be available for a fee of around £80m, despite having a previous price tag of closer to £100m.

How many goals has Randal Kolo Muani scored?

If Ange Postecoglou and co are forced to find a suitable successor to Kane then they should simply look no further than the Frankfurt ace, with the World Cup finalist arguably the "complete" package, as hailed by compatriot, Kylian Mbappe.

While hardly prolific during his time at former club, Nantes – where the 6 foot 2 whiz scored 23 goals in 87 games for the then-Ligue 1 side – the Bondy-born marksman has come alive since sealing a move to Germany a year ago, having racked up 40 goal involvements in just 46 games in all competitions last term.

That included a stellar haul of 15 goals and 14 assists in 32 Bundesliga outings for the 2022 Europa League winners, with Kolo Muani evidently proving himself as a player who can offer a clinical presence himself through the middle, as well as being up to bring others into play with his creative instincts.

That dual role as both a goal-getter and provider is one which Kane has taken on so impressively for Spurs in recent times, with the 280-goal machine memorably finishing atop the charts for both goals (23) and assists (14) in the Premier League during the 2020/21 campaign.

The manner in which they are able to hurt the opposition does appear somewhat different it must be said, however, with Kane's creative talents seeing him rank in the top 4% among his European peers for progressive passes, while Kolo Muani is far more effective as a ball carrier, as he ranks in the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 5% for successful take-ons.

That dynamic quality has ensured that the Frenchman is the type of player who "annoys" defenders and is "really hard to defend" against, according to international colleague, Ibrahima Konate, hence why a raft of Europe's top clubs are looking his way at present.

Of course, there will be few at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium who will be relishing the prospect of losing Kane any time soon such has been his remarkable consistency over the last decade or so, although if Postecoglou is forced to find a worthy heir to the Three Lions star, then there may be few better options than that of Kolo Muani.

While there may be fears that the latter man is a mere flash in the pan, with last season having been a real breakout campaign, such a move looks like it could be a gamble worth taking for the Lilywhites.

South Africa are aiming for all-out attack in their Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka, whose batting line-up they have had the better of in recent times

Firdose Moonda02-Jun-2017South Africa are aiming for all-out attack in their Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka, whose batting line-up they have had the better of in recent times. Not only have South Africa won their last seven matches against Sri Lanka, but they have bowled them out in six of those and have reason to believe they can do it again.”We know that we have an opportunity and the ability to bowl the Sri Lankan side out. It’s a matter of getting that combination right and getting the right players on a par to do so,” AB de Villiers, South Africa’s captain, said. “To me it’s really important to get your top three, four bowlers in there. Not that the allrounders can’t take wickets but I’ll probably be leaning towards getting your best bowlers in to make sure we have our best chance to bowl them out and to get 10 wickets in the game.”De Villiers’ desire for an out-and-out strike bowler suggests he will opt for an attack that includes both Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel, the only two specialist quicks in a squad with four allrounders. But that does not sync with coach Russell Domingo’s sentiments from three days ago that Morkel’s place in the XI was uncertain because South Africa want a deeper batting line-up. Morkel only played one of the three ODIs against England and before that had not played 50-over cricket since June 2016 which has left him on the fringes of a side that is still searching for an allrounder in the Jacques Kallis mould to complete it.But, South Africa may not see a need to concern themselves too much with runs against Sri Lanka. In four of the last seven matches they’ve played against them, South Africa have bowled Sri Lanka out for under 200. That includes the 2015 World Cup quarter final, where Imran Tahir took 4 for 26, and the home series earlier this year, which South Africa won 5-0. Tahir was the second-highest wicket-taker in that series, with 10 scalps, which is why he is a certain starter in Saturday’s match despite recently nursing a niggle.A hamstring issue kept Tahir out of two of the three England games but instead of giving him a little more time to rest and use their other option Keshav Maharaj – who made his debut at the Ageas Bowl – South Africa will bring Tahir straight back into the mix.”Imran is fit and he’s our No. 1 bowler, our No. 1 spin bowler. And Keshav understands his role when it comes to that,” de Villiers said. “There might be a time in the tournament where we might use a different strategy, if we play against a certain opposition or on a certain field. But for tomorrow, Imran is the No. 1 pick.”It is unusual times for South Africa because they are certain of their spin options but unsure of their pace pack and the England series would only have posed more questions. All four allrounders played at some point in the series and Wayne Parnell had the most convincing figures after an impressive outing at Lord’s where he made the new ball swing. He was also the leading wicket-taker in the Sri Lanka series, with 11 wickets at 17.36, and has been the most successful opening partner to Rabada, which suggests he has sealed a spot for now.That leaves South Africa with a choice between one or two of Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius. The latter only played once against England so it may just be down to Morris and Phehlukwayo; choosing between the experience of someone who has played at a major tournament in the past and the excitement of someone who has none of the baggage.Morris was batting when South Africa failed to chase of 10 off 10 in Southampton, but he has finished games before – the one against England in Cape Town early last year being a stand-out. Phehlukwayo has done the same, against Australia in Durban and New Zealand in Hamilton but he also stumbled in that same series.Finishers like the two of them tend to need a little bit of luck along with everything else. South Africa will need some too – perhaps not now, in the opening jousts which they go into with confidence – but later when the pressure is on. And they need to make sure they have prepared properly for that, especially in terms of personnel.Their series defeat to England suggests there remains some fine-tuning required and de Villiers admitted they used the three matches to try and smooth things out, perhaps without success. What they did learn was that no matter which combination they chose, they remained competitive and for now, that should be enough.”If you go into a series thinking that you want to play all 15 players, you’re not really focusing on just winning that series because your mind is a little bit elsewhere, so I think that’s what happened,” he said. “But I think we peaked really well throughout that series, and ended up looking back thinking that, you know what, we actually could have won that series, easily, which is a great boost of confidence for us, keeping in mind that we played 15 players and it was a bit of a warm-up for the Champions Trophy.”

Gazi Group Cricketers kept pace with Abahani Limited by levelling with them on 22 points, courtesy a five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club in Fatullah. Abahani stay on top by virtue of a marginally superior net run-rate, but the race is getting tighter with two rounds of matches still remaining in the competition.This Super League encounter had been shifted to Wednesday due to rain at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, the scheduled match day. In a 43-overs-per-side game, Prime Bank made a good start, but collapsed to 173 all out in 39.1 overs.Shanaj Ahmed (54) and Zakir Hasan (47) had given the side a solid platform by adding 90 for the second wicket, but Prime Bank lost their last seven wickets for 43 runs in 11.3 overs. Abu Hider and Gurkeerat Singh took three wickets each for Gazi Group.Anamul Haque and Mominul Haque then set up the chase by putting on 61 for the second wicket. From 87 for 1, Gazi Group fell to 119 for 5, but captain Nasir Hossain’s unbeaten 61 took them home in 38.4 overs. He struck nine fours in his 64-ball knock.The final two rounds of matches will be held on June 2 and 5.

Aston Villa are reportedly remaining on the tail of Joao Felix, as Unai Emery aims to up the quality on show at Villa Park.

This summer has been an impressive one so far for the Villans, who have secured the signatures of Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres, with Moussa Diaby reported to be on the horizon too.

Monchi and Emery could create something special in the Midlands this window, with links to players in the calibre of Felix showing the ambition of the duo at the helm.

Could Aston Villa sign Joao Felix?

Last week, reports claimed that Villa were ‘leading the race’ to sign the Portuguese gem, who spent last season on loan at Chelsea.

A report from transfer insider Dean Jones and GIVEMESPORT named the 23-year-old as one of those that could be ‘on the shopping list’ of the Midlands club, who could be priced around the £80m mark by Atletico Madrid.

The swoop for the talent would be an audacious one, however with Diaby almost secured according to Fabrizio Romano, the Villans are showing real ambition this summer.

How good is Joao Felix?

Having once been lauded as a “genius” by Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto, a figure familiar with the talents of Felix, the 23-year-old has cemented himself as one of the most talented forwards in Europe.

Snatched by Atletico in 2019, the versatile attacker wrote his name in lights in Portugal before making the move to Madrid, scoring 15 goals and registering nine assists in the Primeira Liga in the 2018/19 campaign at just 18-years-old.

Earning a £113m price tag as a teenager is an indicator of the talent on show, now, Villa could equip their side with a forward as intricate as the former LaLiga sensation.

Deployed primarily as a centre-forward, the £242k-per-week Portuguese is extremely versatile in his approach to play, with the ability to occupy wide areas and roles just behind the striker.

For the Villans, obtaining a player in the calibre of Felix could be fundamental to their growth under Emery, and could be a marquee signing alongside the talents of Diaby.

The Frenchman could gel perfectly with the Viseu-born gem, in the Spaniard’s free-flowing attack, as an individual who himself adds a significant threat to the front line.

Also hailed as being an “absolute nightmare” for defenders by scout Jacek Kulig, Felix is a livewire in the final third, as highlighted by his monstrous 4.40 total shots per 90 in the Premier League last season.

The £40m-rated whiz’s talents delve way beyond his short spell in the Premier League, with him showcasing his attributes with 2.21 successful take-ons and 0.86 goals and assists per 90 in the 2021/22 LaLiga campaign.

At just 23, Felix has exerted his ability in Spain and Portugal, with Villa’s interest paving the way for him to finish his story in England after half a season at Stamford Bridge.

Emery could cause significant problems for his side’s opponents in the league, in a piece of business that could elevate the calibre and direction of things at Villa.

تأكد غياب أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة عن مباراة الإياب أمام باريس سان جيرمان، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويحل برشلونة ضيفًا على باريس سان جيرمان، بملعب “حديقة الأمراء”، ضمن مباريات ذهاب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتلقى سيرجي روبيرتو قائد برشلونة، بطاقة صفراء خلال المباراة في الدقيقة 34، بعد تدخله على ماركو أسينسيو.

اقرأ أيضًا | لقاء بين تشافي وإنريكي قبل مباراة برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان

وبالتالي سيغيب روبيرتو عن مباراة الإياب بملعب “مونتجويك” معقل برشلونة، بسبب الإيقاف لتراكم البطاقات الصفراء.

ويستقبل برشلونة نظيره باريس سان جيرمان، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، لخوض مباراة إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

يذكر أن البرازيلي رافينها، أحرز هدف تقدم برشلونة في شباك باريس سان جيرمان، بالدقيقة 37 من عمر اللقاء.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier is excited to play under new manager Ange Postecoglu and wants to stay and fight for his place next season.

How long has Eric Dier been at Tottenham?

Since the Englishman joined Spurs from Portuguese side Sporting CP for a bargain €5.00m (£4m) in July 2014, Dier has had a very mixed bag of a career in north London.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, the Kent-born player grew into a promising defensive midfielder in the division, forming a "monstrous" partnership with Victor Wanyama and being the perfect defensive counterpart for Mousa Dembele.

Dier was a crucial part of the Tottenham side that finished second in the Premier League in the 2016/17 season, making 36 appearances in the league and scoring two goals.

Towards the end of Pochettino's tenure at Spurs, the English international began to transition to centre-back, where he has played since Jose Mourinho's stint at the club.

Since the 2019/20 season, the former Everton youth player has made 132 appearances for the north London outfit at the heart of the defence, in addition to 10 appearances at centre-half for England.

It's not been plain sailing since the transition for Dier, with him making a number of high-profile mistakes, most notably last season against Liverpool and Brentford, and receiving plenty of criticism from fans, journalists, and pundits alike, with journalist Ryan Taylor stating earlier this year that Dier is a "very poor" defender.

However, every manager that comes through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium seems to consistently pick the Englishman, so he must be doing something right to keep the support of elite managers such as Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, Sky Sports editor and journalist Lyall Thomas revealed that Dier intends to stay and fight for his place this season under new boss Postecoglu amid reports suggesting he could potentially leave:

"I think Dier will stay, as I understand it that is absolutely right that he does want to stay and fight for his place and play under Ange and I think Dier could still be a useful player for Spurs."

Will Eric Dier play for Tottenham Hotspur next season?

It will be interesting to see if Dier plays as much next season as he has done in previous campaigns due to a number of factors.

Spurs look set to attack the market in search of at least one centre-back addition this summer, with reports linking them to names such as Micky Van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba, and Marc Guehi. All three options that have been heavily linked play on the left side of defence, which is the position that the 29-year-old looked set to take up this season as Argentine defender Cristian Romero appears to be the first choice on the right-hand side.

Another issue that faces Dier is a potential system change. New boss Postecoglou plays a very open and expansive style of football with a higher defensive line, which is a stark contrast from the football that Spurs have become known for in recent years. The Australian manager also prefers to set up with a back four rather than a back five, which is a defensive shape that Dier has very rarely played in, with both club and country opting for the five defenders in recent seasons

The former Sporting man has come through adversity and fought his way back into the England squad last year, and you could easily see him doing it again and starting ahead of the new signings. However, this is shaping up to be his toughest test yet when considering all the factors going against him.

Everton midfielder Dele Alli is facing a 'tall order' to get into Toffees boss Sean Dyche's plans this campaign and is more likely to leave the club than stay put at Goodison Park, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Does Dele Alli have a future with Everton?

Recently, Dele sat down with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville on The Overlap YouTube channel, in which he bravely spoke about issues with his state of mental well-being, various issues surrounding his personal and professional life and his hopes for the future in the game.

Winning plaudits for his bravery and honesty, the 27-year-old now finds himself at a crossroads in his career after returning from a loan spell at Besiktas, where he scored three times from 17 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Besiktas chairman Ahmet Nur Cebi revealed in an interview with BeIN Sports cited by The Liverpool Echo, that Dele wouldn't return to the Vodafone Stadium this season, stating: “Our contract with Dele Alli is over. He was a player we were very excited about when he came. He won’t come back. We didn’t get what we expected from him. I hope he recovers as a human.”

Nevertheless, despite his openness surrounding his struggles, Dele cuts a determined figure and looks to be in a much better place psychologically, being one of the first players to report back to pre-season with Everton, as again relayed by The Liverpool Echo.

In his time at Everton, Dele has made just 13 appearances for the club following his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur in February 2022 in a deal that could rise to £40 million based on performance-related add-ons, as per Sky Sports.

Despite his new-found attitude to succeed, journalist Brown thinks that Dele is 'more likely' to leave Everton this window than stay due to the hefty financial cost of his add-ons if he makes a certain amount of appearances.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown stated: "I still think it's a tall order really for him to get back on track and force his way into this team, just because Everton are, I believe, still on the look for quite a lot of money for Dele if he plays a certain number of games, and it doesn't really make a lot of financial sense for them to give him a terribly large role in the team.

“I think he's got a lot to prove. I think if he sorts his life out, comes back strong and proves a point to Dyche, he's got a shot. But I think it's more likely that we eventually see him leave for a new start and a new challenge. I do though just hope that he gets everything else sorted out, because obviously, it's not a very good place for him to be in.”

What next for Everton as they prepare for the new campaign?

Everyone connected with Everton will wish Dele, who allegedly earns £100k per week, nothing but the best of fortunes as he aims to re-ignite the spark that saw him become one of the most eye-catching players in English football in the earlier stages of his career.

In other matters, Dyche will be looking to add some additional quality to his squad this window to ensure they don't land in a relegation battle for the third campaign running. According to Football Insider, the Toffees have 'registered their interest' in acquiring Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who has one year left on his deal at the King Power Stadium.

Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto is also a target at Goodison Park; however, the Whites have booted out a bid in the region of £15 million for the Italy international, as per 90min.

Free agent Moussa Dembele and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy have been mentioned in connection with the Blues and could be sought after to add some much-needed depth to their slim options in the final third, as per FootballTransfers.

Harvey Barnes would be "open to going to St James Park", but Newcastle United's deal to sign the Leicester City winger isn't as advanced as initially reported, claims journalist Alex Crook.

Is Havey Barnes joining Newcastle United?

It has been an interesting start to the transfer window for Newcastle this summer. While many might have expected the wealthiest club in the world to start splashing the cash on whatever player took their fancy, they have actually been relatively reserved in their spending.

So far, the only big-name player to make their way to the north east this summer has been Italian international Sandro Tonali, who left his boyhood club to join the Toon in a deal worth a reported £55m.

That's not to say players haven't been linked to Eddie Howe's side, though, as Leicester winger Barnes has been one of the names constantly touted for a move to the Magpies this summer, with the Daily Mail reporting earlier this month that a deal was 'close.'

While the imminent nature of the arrival turned out to be false, the interest is not, with the Express reporting that the Magpies remain firm favourites to sign the player and that an offer as low as £30m could be all it takes to get it done.

One of the reasons that previous reports on this transfer might've been so premature is that Newcastle's FFP concerns were not considered to be as bad as they actually are, per journalist Alex Crook.

He explained the situation live on air, which was later posted to TalkSPORT's YouTube channel:

"With Harvey Barnes, I never felt that this deal was quite as advanced as maybe had been reported because of the financial restraints that Newcastle are operating under.

"I think he's open to going to St James' Park and playing in the Champions League, but I wouldn't rule West Ham out of that race either."

Is Harvey Barnes good enough for Newcastle United?

He might've been relegated with Leicester last season, but Barnes – who has been hailed a "beast" – would undoubtedly be a brilliant addition to Howe's exciting Magpies team.

Over the last few years, he has shown that he has the necessary skills and the ability to thrive in the Premier League, and the Foxes' drop down to the Championship wasn't because of him; if anything, it was in spite of him.

Across his 34 Premier League games last season, the 25-year-old scored 13 goals and created one assist, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.42 games, earning himself an average match rating of 6.66, per WhoScored.

His underlying statistics are interesting in that he clearly excels in some areas whilst putting up slightly more average numbers in others, suggesting that he might benefit from playing in a more progressive and better-coached side.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, Barnes is in the top 6% for non-penalty goals, the top 15% for aerial duals won, and the top 17% for non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

However, he also only ranks in the top 34% for total shots, 37% for progressive passes received, 38% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, and 42% for progressive carries, all per 90.

If the Toon have the opportunity to get this deal done for the price reported, it seems like a no-brainer, as even if he doesn't improve much, he would still likely score ten-plus goals a season for the side.

Billy Godleman led a Derbyshire fightback after Leicestershire had passed 600 on the second day of the Division Two County Championship match at Derby

ECB Reporters Network26-May-2017
ScorecardNed Eckersley’s 91-ball hundred was part of a rapid double-century stand•Getty ImagesSkipper Billy Godleman led a Derbyshire fightback after Leicestershire had passed 600 on the second day of the Division Two County Championship match at Derby.Godleman marked his 50th first-class appearance for the county with an unbeaten 60 as Derbyshire closed on 154 for 1 in reply to Leicestershire’s 619, still 465 behind.Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove top-scored with 188, adding 239 in 38 overs with Ned Eckersley who made a career-best 158 while Sri Lankan allrounder Jeevan Mendis took 6 for 204.It was a question of how many Leicestershire would score at the start of another hot day and the answer was plenty as Cosgrove and Eckersley plundered 100 in the first hour.Cosgrove passed his previous best for the county of 156 at Derby two years ago with a pull for four off Tony Palladino and he launched Mendis for two sixes to bring up the 500 before he was caught at long on.The fourth-wicket stand beat the previous highest for the county against Derbyshire of 207 by Maurice Hallam and Willie Watson in 1959 and there were more records as Leicestershire erased their previous highest score at Derby of 552 for 6 declared 12 years ago.When Eckersley completed his first hundred of the season from only 91 balls, it was only the 13th time in Leicestershire’s history that three batsmen had scored centuries in the same innings and another declaration looked like the only way Derbyshire would get off the field until Eckersley clipped Tom Taylor to deep midwicket.His departure sparked a collapse that saw the last six wickets go down for 38 with Mendis the main beneficiary of Leicestershire’s pursuit of quick runs as he returned the best figures by a Derbyshire legspinner since Kim Barnett, now director of cricket, took 6 for 28 against Glamorgan at Chesterfield in 1991.It was also the most expensive analysis by a Derbyshire bowler in 113 years although he had bowled 52 overs, 24.3 of them in one spell from the Racecourse end broken only be lunch.But the most relevant figure for Derbyshire was 470, the runs required to avoid the follow-on, and Slater and Godleman gave them a solid start although both had some narrow escapes before Slater was caught at short leg off Zak Chappell for 42.Shiv Thakor played and missed several times but hit Chappell for three successive fours although Derbyshire have a lot of batting to do to save the game.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been able to bolster his squad with two new additions since joining the club to replace Ange Postecoglou last month.

Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio have come in to complement his options in the middle of the park and out wide.

The Northern Irishman has still well over a month left to make further signings before the deadline passes and one player who has been touted with a possible move to Parkhead is former Hoops star Kieran Tierney.

It was reported by The Scottish Sun at the end of last month that the Arsenal left-back would consider a return to Paradise if an offer came his way.

The defender is currently considering his future at The Emirates and a loan could be on the cards, although his £120k-per-week wages could prove to be a stumbling block unless the Gunners are willing to subsidise them.

Journalist Dean Jones has cast his own doubt over the likelihood of a deal being done but has also stated that it would be a fantastic piece of business if Rodgers can get it over the line.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the reporter said: "I think if Tierney did return to Celtic, he would be the biggest player at the club, and it'd be an unbelievable moment.

"I'm just not sure that they can get to that price point. Newcastle were put off by it, recently. and it doesn't seem like Arsenal are going to budge."

What is the market value of Kieran Tierney?

The Scotland international is valued at €36.4m (£31.1m) by FootballTransfers and left Celtic for a fee of £25m when he moved to Arsenal in the summer of 2019.

The Hoops have never spent £15m or more on one signing in their history and the highest earner at the club is reportedly Callum McGregor on £32k-per-week, significantly less than Tierney's £120k-per-week.

His market value is also considerably ahead of every player in Rodgers' squad as Celtic's most valuable star, as per FootballTransfers, is currently Israel international Liel Abada at €16.9m (£14.4m).

This suggests that the Arsenal ace, who won 11 trophies during his first spell at Parkhead, would come in as the biggest star at the club, certainly in terms of his worth.

He is already a proven Scottish Premiership performer who would be able to hit the ground running in order to make an instant impact on the pitch, rather than arriving as an unknown with no prior experience playing in the country.

Tierney was named as one of the stars of the PFA Team of the Year in three of his last four seasons in Scotland; including the 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 campaigns.

This suggests that the 26-year-old, who has won the FA Cup during his time in England, was the standout left-back in the country throughout his time in Glasgow, which is another reason why he would be a phenomenal signing as he has showcased his ability to be an outstanding player at that level.

Therefore, Rodgers and the club must work hard to strike an agreement with Arsenal, if the Premier League side are willing to be flexible with the player's wages in a possible loan deal ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.