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Wolves are set to meet with the agent of an £80,000-a-week player as they look to complete a summer transfer, according to reports.

Wolves transfer rumours

Wolves ended the 2023/24 Premier League campaign sat 14th in the division. While this is lower than their finish in the season prior, they did manage to accumulate 46 points – five more than they managed in 2022/23. That is by no means a huge improvement but it does indicate the Wanderers are moving in the right direction under Gary O'Neil.

Wolves lodge bid to sign Pedro Neto 2.0 after January interest

Wolves are keeping a close watch on a prodigious winger who shone last season

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 8, 2024

Now, with the summer transfer window right around the corner, the Midlands outfit will need to make some smart signings if they are to climb into the top half of the Premier League table and potentially even push for European football in the forthcoming campaign.

To achieve this, it looks as though Wolves are aiming to strengthen their attack, with chairman Jeff Shi already confirming that the club "are going to sign one or two number nines this summer".

"We are going to sign one or two number nines this summer," he said. "The peak Raul was a top-three striker in the league, which is really hard to replace. We did struggle on recruitment in the past few years. Hopefully the new strikers or Hee-chan can perform well next season."

Since those comments, Wolves have been named as one of four top-flight teams set to make bids for Arsenal hitman Eddie Nketiah. They are also "concretely interested" in Paraguayan winger Ramon Sosa, who is valued at €18m (£15m) by his Argentine Primera División club, Talleres.

Wolves to meet with agent of £80k-p/w striker

Now, another no.9 has seemingly caught the eye of those in a position of power at Molneiux. The player in question is former Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian struggled to find his feet during his time in England, scoring 15 goals and providing four assists in 77 Premier League outings. However, he still earned high praise from ex-Blues boss Frank Lampard.

"It was interesting to see not just the player – I kind of knew the quality Michy had and it’s always good to see that up close – but also the personality," Lampard said.

"Since early season, how he’s trained, his demeanour, his positivity, and quality when he’s come on, which is obviously the most important thing, have been top class."

After several loan spells, the 30-year-old eventually left west London on a permanent basis in 2022, linking up with current side, Fenerbahce.

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Now, after finding form abroad, a return to England could be on the cards for the £80,000-a-week man, with Takvim [via Sport Witness] claiming that Wolves want to sign the striker and are set to meet with Batshuayi's agent soon. The forward is out of contract at the end of June but his deal has the option of an extension, which Jose Mourinho's new side are looking to activate.

On Sunday, the Victoria and New South Wales-based players will arrive in Brisbane for two weeks’ quarantine

Andrew McGlashan04-Sep-2020A number of Covid-19 tests have been done, and some more are yet to happen; the coffee machines have been arranged and the cricket kit is packed. On Sunday, the first hub of the Australian home season will begin to come together in Brisbane as the Victoria and New South Wales-based players of the women’s national team arrive in the city for two weeks’ quarantine ahead of the series against New Zealand.Due to the Covid-19 numbers in both states – Melbourne, in Victoria, is under a stage-four lockdown until mid-September and New South Wales was declared a hotspot by the Queensland government – there is a fortnight of being mostly confined to the floor of a hotel for the first group of the squad before the players from other states arrive.However, they are permitted three hours a day in the nets at the Allan Border Field. The players have had three Covid-19 tests before leaving and will have three more during the two-week quarantine. The New Zealand squad is due to land on September 9.

Meg Lanning has sorted two coffee machines to be flown up to Brisbane, one on each floor for the first quarantine. Someone will have to look after that because think most of us are pretty uselessAshleigh Gardner

As with the men’s tour of England, the preparations began a long way out. Ashleigh Gardner, one of four New South Wales-based players in the 18-strong squad, decided to move out of home, where she lives with her mother and brother, so they did not have to go through the same restricted lifestyle as her. She has been staying with Alyssa Healy for the last few weeks.”It’s been a different lead-in to any other tour,” Gardner told ESPNcricinfo. “We made the decision it would be too hard for them [family members] to be on the same regime I was and not being able to go and do things, so I moved in with Alyssa which has been cool. It’s very different to what we are used but we leave on Sunday, so things are all starting to get pretty real.”ALSO READ: WBBL season to be held entirely in Sydney hub amid Covid-19 challengesIn the lead-up to the tour, Gardner trained in a separate group away from the NSW squad with her Australian team-mates Healy, Erin Burns and Rachael Haynes, along with stand-by Sammy Jo-Johnson and a couple of coaches. Being an allrounder, Gardner has bowled “quite a bit” while the coaches have “thrown endless amounts of balls to us”.”It’s not the most ideal lead-in to a tour but everyone is in the same boat and we’ve tried to make the most of the facilities and people we have,” she said.Crucially, the quarantined players will be able to access nets during their first two weeks. It is a similar set-up that Cricket Australia hope to get signed off for the men in Perth when they return from the UK.Ash Gardner has been living with Alyssa Healy for the past few weeks•Getty Images”It will be challenging but it will be nice to see some new and familiar faces even if it is from a distance,” Gardner said. “Will be nice to change the environment and scenery from what we’ve had in the last four months.”Aside from the three hours at training, however, the rest of the time will be spent at the hotel. There will a common area where players can meet for meals, an Xbox and table tennis, but also a lot of Netflix.Gardner is leaving her dot-art painting at home but has some electronic versions on her iPad. The captain, meanwhile, has arranged some very important items. “Meg Lanning has sorted two coffee machines to be flown up to Brisbane, one on each floor for the first quarantine,” Gardner said. “Someone will have to look after that because think most of us are pretty useless.”When the quarantine is complete the rules and restrictions will remain very tight. Collecting takeaway coffee and food, avoiding crowds, wearing masks. “It’s about being sensible and smart, doing the right things,” Gardner said.It will be more than six months since the T20 World Cup final when the first T20I of the series is played on September 26. Gardner admitted there would be uncertainty among all the players.”A lot of players will feel a bit underdone without match practice before an international series. Personally, there’ll be plenty of nerves, there won’t be a player who doesn’t have some. We’ve just got to back our ability and know what we’ve been able to achieve in the past.”But there is huge relief that cricket is on the horizon. “It feels like we’ve had the longest pre-season in history; we are all pretty sick of just training and nothing else. It’s exciting that games are so close, both the internationals and the WBBL.”

CA’s head of community cricket is confident states and the board can work together in challenging times

Daniel Brettig12-Aug-2020Belinda Clark, Cricket Australia’s chief of community cricket, was given reassurance that Queensland Cricket and its chair Chris Simpson were not seeking to tear up the national system of support for the game’s grassroots after he questioned the “centralised model” of the governing body earlier this year.Ahead of a vital meeting of the Australian Cricket Council, comprising the chairs of CA, the state associations and the Australian Cricketers Association on Thursday, Clark stated that the hot rhetoric from Simpson, delivered to an ordinary general meeting of QC in late June, had reflected a desire for states to be heard and empowered but not to dismantle the growth of a national network to encourage the game’s junior and community tiers.”I’ve had those conversations and have followed up with the CEO there, Terry Svenson, and the message coming out is that both Chris Simpson and our ambition around supporting the community is absolutely aligned,” Clark said. “I think what’s important to recognise is that the state associations play a really important role in nurturing their affiliates and their club system and providing support to those people that are playing inside their state.ALSO READ: Belinda Clark: ‘There’s still plenty of money in cricket'”What we’ve been able to do from a national perspective is work very closely with each of the states and territories. So, we run national programs. We design them with the states. The states implement them and all the clubs implement them and the benefits of those flow through the entire system. I’m comfortable that we’re all aligned in terms of what we’re trying to do.”There may be some differences in opinion in how we go about doing that, but it’s a very connected system and we are meeting with our counterparts weekly to ensure that that’s the case.”Simpson’s words had been delivered in the midst of a dispute between CA and the states over the matter of annual grants, one of the key issues for the ACC to unpick this week as the CA chair Earl Eddings seeks to find common ground with the governing body’s owners. Cricket New South Wales, chaired by John Knox, has also blocked CA’s proposed reductions in annual grants, while wider questions of the game’s governance model – a nine-member independent board – have run parallel to the annual nominations committee process for new directors.

It’s obviously been difficult for every sport to deal with the situation that Covid’s played in our lives at the moment. There’s the health and safety, the economic impact as well and sports are all dealing with that as they see fitBelinda Clark on the challenges of the Covid-19 era

“The centralised model or the behemoth that CA has morphed into has consumed all aspects of cricket, assumed the role of the master of all matters cricket,” Simpson had said. “The states take offence to this – as we live and breathe grassroots and the day to day running of cricket. The states are resourcing and supporting the volunteers, the lifeblood of the game and cricket’s most valuable asset. In my view, the states have lost control of cricket. We are told from Jolimont Street how to run cricket and we do not believe in many of these ‘systems and processes’.”If CA is a master of all, then the board must comprise of some masters of volunteerism and grassroots cricket as it is our primary function at state level to provide services, support and resources to volunteers far and wide who deliver cricket so wonderfully…it is nonsensical to think that centralisation is good for grassroots cricket. Cricket administration of yesteryear gave regional communities a voice; cricket administration of today is not a collaborative model, rather a top down ‘we know best’ beast.”Cricket Australia is seeking a solution to their ongoing negotiations with the states•Getty ImagesCA’s push for cost savings in the time of Covid-19, initially through staff cuts at the organisation, reduced distributions to states and also a shrink in player payments, raised a host of discontents in terms of relationships between CA, the states and the ACA. This led ultimately to the exit of the CA chief executive Kevin Roberts and senior executives including his chief operating officer Scott Grant. At the same time, all states other than NSW made their own piecemeal cuts, amounting to more than 150 staff being shown the door including a huge swathe cut through community cricket roles in Victoria.”If you just think about the number of people we still have in the field, it’ll be the envy of many sports to still have that,” Clark said. “What’s difficult is if there’s something there and if it’s taken away, and people react to that. Look, there’s no doubt that we are getting great results from having more people involved, more support going to the clubs. But we have to adapt and we can’t walk away from that.”The clubs are adapting to what’s in front of them with Covid-19. We need to adapt with less field staff in some areas, it’s not in all areas but in some. And the community is adapting as well. At the end of the day, our job is to make sure that those people feel supported and there’s opportunities for people to play the game.”Clark, who stepped away from community cricket temporarily in 2018-19 to run elite performance areas before the appointments of Ben Oliver and Drew Ginn to oversee the game’s top end, said that the difficulties of Covid-19 meant that communication and co-operation across the game were more vital than ever before.”It’s obviously been difficult for every sport to deal with the situation that Covid’s played in our lives at the moment,” Clark said. “There’s the health and safety, the economic impact as well and sports are all dealing with that and cricket associations are all dealing with that as they see fit. What I can say is that as community teams across all of the states and territories and Cricket Australia, we’re absolutely committed to providing that support to volunteers. And what we’ve had to do in some areas, in some instances, is just be creative about how we do that.”

Tottenham have "sat down at the table" to discuss signing a £26 million player who's been called "similar" to Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

Spurs targeting new midfielder and attacker this summer

As reported by reliable media sources, like football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, Spurs are targeting a new number six and attacker for Ange Postecoglou this summer.

Ange personally identifies £51m forward as perfect signing for Tottenham

The Australian think he’d fit in “seamlessly”.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 18, 2024

Specific names are already being shortlisted ahead of the next transfer window, and there have been many mentioned this week alone. RB Leipzig ace Dani Olmo has played his way onto Tottenham's transfer agenda, among others, as the north Londoners seek more threatening options.

Tottenham have an option to make Timo Werner's signing permanent for around £15 million, but while the German has got off to a good start overall, some have expressed doubt over his ability to chip in significantly long-term.

"I’m sorry, he misses so many good chances. And those chances that he missed, they can change games. Technically, he’s one of the worst players in the Premier League. I’m going to say that, because I honestly believe that," said pundit Jay Bothroyd to Optus Sport in a harsh assessment of Werner.

Tottenham's top scorers in all competitions this season	Goals
Son Heung-min	15
Richarlison	11
Dejan Kulusevski	6
Brennan Johnson	5
James Maddison	4

“He doesn’t cross the ball well, he hits it as hard as he can across the face of the goal all the time. He never picks anybody out. His finishing’s poor. His passing’s poor.

“And yes, you can say that he’s effective. But then I’m saying, okay, he’s an athlete. In this day and age, I look at him and I say he’s effective because of his athleticism. As he gets older and he loses that athleticism, how effective is he going to be then?”

Fabrizio Romano also says Tottenham want a player who can add more goals and assists to Postecoglou's side, and one astute option could be Genoa's Albert Gudmundsson.

The Iceland international has bagged 13 goals and three assists in 30 Serie A starts under Albert Gilardino this term, leading to reported interest from N17.

Tottenham sit down to discuss signing Albert Gudmundsson

According to a report from Italy this week, specifically newspaper Tuttosport, Tottenham have "sat down at the table" to discuss signing Gudmundsson this summer, and so have Inter Milan.

However, they could be better placed to seal a move for the attacking midfielder than Inter, as agent Oscar Damiani told FCInterNews that Italian clubs most likely won't reach the potential £26 million asking price for Gudmundsson.

Called "similar" to Forest star Gibbs-White by Football Transfers, the 26-year-old has also been likened to Liverpool star Mohamed Salah by teammate Kevin Strootman.

“He reminds me of Salah when he was at Roma, in that every now and then he disappears. Much like Salah then, he would have four or five chances per match and only score at most one," said Strootman.

“They used to say that if Salah was more clinical, he would be playing for Liverpool, and that is exactly what happened. All joking aside, Gudmundsson is a devastating player and also an exemplary professional.”

Pochettino is yet to formally join the USMNT as their head coach despite having an agreement with the USSF

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Pochettino yet to join USMNTHas an agreement with the USSFTerms of Chelsea's severance package creating hindranceWHAT HAPPENED?

The Athletic reported last week that ex-Chelsea coach Pochettino is all set to become the new manager of the United States men's national team. Pochettino is currently without a club after he was told to exit Stamford Bridge in May this year.

AdvertisementGettyTHE EXPLANATION

The Argentine, however, is yet to formally put pen to paper on a contract despite reaching an agreement with the United States Soccer Federation. The Athletic now reports that the reason why the manager is yet to take up the job is the terms of Chelsea's severance package to him. Per the clause, the Blues will pay Pochettino until the time he gets a new job after which the club will not owe any money to him. It is unlikely that USSF will be able to afford Pochettino's last wages as national jobs are generally lowly paid compared to what the top 6 Premier League clubs pay.

DID YOU KNOW?

There is more than one way to solve the existing issue. USSF could replicate Canada's stance during the signing of Jesse Marsch as three MLS teams from Canada helped the country's federation by contributing. However, it has been reported that USSF had no such chat with MLS clubs as of now. The second way will be to go the Lionel Messi way as they could collaborate with a third party who could partly sponsor the move.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

It remains to be seen if the Blues come forward and agree to cover half the money that was owed to the manager while USSF will pay their part. The USMNT will be next seen in September during the international break as they take on Canada and New Zealand in back-to-back friendlies.

After facing the consequences for their financial wrongdoings, Everton are now set to suffer once more when the transfer window opens in a move that will arguably weaken Sean Dyche's side.

Everton transfer news

It's a big few months for the Toffees. Not only must they comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, but they must also ensure that Dyche's squad are ready to push past the fight for relegation and into the comforts of mid-table both this season and next. Of course, they would have been well on course for survival by now and in those aforementioned mid-table places if it wasn't for two deductions culminating in the loss of eight points.

Everton made to regret signing flop whose value has plummeted £17.5m

He’s only shown glimpses since his move to Goodison Park.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 19, 2024

With 777 Partners yet to complete their takeover too, Everton may need to be more careful than ever with their spending, which has seen them linked with free deals for both Ben Johnson and Wilfred Ndidi in two deals that could represent wise business. Welcoming Ndidi would be particularly impressive, especially after the latest Amadou Onana update.

According to Sport in Spain, Everton have been left with no choice but to sell Onana this summer in an attempt to balance the books at Goodison Park. The Toffees have 'finally given in' amid reported interest from Barcelona and Chelsea in a deal that could be worth up to €70m (£60m) in the coming months.

If Everton saw their price tag matched this summer, then Onana's sale could go a long way towards avoiding another FFP punishment next season, but the sale may still leave Dyche frustrated nonetheless.

The former Burnley boss has been full of praise for the midfielder during his time at Everton, including when he told the club's official website back in December: "I thought Amadou [Onana] was terrific today, not just his goal but the ugly side of the game with his hard work and positional sense.

"There was a lot to adapt to and they've had almost no time, we had a 10-minute walkthrough so for them to take it on like that today with that performance, particularly in the second half in a different way with control and tactical understanding to see it through, was very, very pleasing."

"Terrific" Onana will need replacing

It's all well and good if Everton manage to balance the books, but that won't take away from the need to replace Onana this summer. Recent links to Ndidi is a positive sign that those at Goodison Park will do just that, however, in a move that wouldn't cost them a transfer fee and could hand Dyche an adequate option in the middle of the park.

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So, whilst the idea of selling Onana this summer sounds far from ideal, Everton may be better off in the long-term if it means they avoid another point deduction next season and bring a player in like Ndidi as a far cheaper alternative to the Belgian.

MatériaMais Notícias

Deyverson retornou à Academia de Futebol neste sábado (5) para realizar testes físicos e o restante das avaliações antes de ser integrado aos treinos. Retornando de empréstimo, o atacante ainda não fica à disposição de Abel Ferreira, que já assumiu que pretende utilizar o atleta.

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O contrato do jogador com seu antigo clube, o Alavés-ESP, terminaria apenas no final de junho, mas o atleta se despediu ainda em maio, no dia 21. Três dias depois, no dia 24 de maio, o Palmeiras o registrou no BID (Boletim Informativo Diário).

Essa semana, depois do jogo de ida da Copa do Brasil diante do CRB, o técnico palmeirense falou sobre a volta dele e como o elenco está em relação a isso.

-Sempre fui verdadeiro com a direção. Sabemos do contexto da pandemia e, neste momento, temos que fazer contenção. Parte financeira acima da parte esportiva. Ele vem nessa linha. Já foi muito feliz aqui. Tenho certeza que o grupo vai receber bem – disse.

Na última sexta-feira (4), Deyverson passou por uma bateria de exames, clínicos e físicos, no hospital Sírio-Libanês, em São Paulo. No dia seguinte, ele foi, pela primeira vez nessa segunda passagem, para a Academia de Futebol, onde realizou mais algumas atividades, mas sem entrar em campo para treinar com os companheiros.

Como está regularizado no BID, o atleta já pode estrear pelo Campeonato Brasileiro – na Copa do Brasil e na Libertadores, o Palmeiras pode inscrevê-lo nas oitavas de final. Na primeira passagem pelo elenco alviverde, fez 104 jogos, marcando 25 gols.

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The offspinner ran through West Indies’ middle order before the young opener slammed an unbeaten 69

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2019A day after they recorded India’s highest partnership in women’s T20Is, openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana put on yet another stellar display to chase down a small target of 104 against West Indies in St Lucia to take a 2-0 lead in the series.The win, however, was set up by offspinner Deepti Sharma, who ran through West Indies’ middle order to finish with her career-best T20I figures of 4 for 10.ALSO READ: Shafali Verma, India’s 15-year-old prodigyOpting to bat first, West Indies lost Stacy-Ann King and Shemaine Campbelle within the powerplay, where they made just 17 runs.While fast bowlers Pooja Vastrakar and Shikha Pandey sent West Indies’ openers back, the spinners caused most of the damage after that. The hosts’ only bit of fight came from Chedean Nation and Natasha McLean, who put up a 32-run stand for the fourth wicket, but Sharma came back for her second spell in the 16th over to remove both of them.She produced another double-strike in the 20th over, removing Chinelle Henry and Sheneta Grimmond off consecutive deliveries, as West Indies limped to 103 for 7.India wasted no time in their reply, as 15-year-old Verma slammed six fours in the first two overs of the innings, off Henry and King. She was the aggressor in the partnership, hitting six more fours and two sixes, while Mandhana hit four fours on her way to a 28-ball 33 not out.Verma finished with an unbeaten 35-ball 69 as the duo sealed the chase in just 10.3 overs.

Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Kylian Mbappe have all been snubbed by Pierre Gasly as the Formula 1 star picks his personal Paris Saint-Germain hero.

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Famous faces passed through French capitalRacing star has always been a big fanIdolised Portuguese striker growing upGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The 28-year-old is an avid PSG supporter and has followed them closely since the age of five. He has seen many iconic figures pass through Parc des Princes in that time. Some of those, such as Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, cemented his love for the Ligue 1 outfit.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He has also watched South American superstars Messi and Neymar grace the books in Paris, while World Cup winner Mbappe is only now departing for Real Madrid, with Gasly enjoying the unpredictability of sport at the very highest level.

GettyWHAT GASLY SAID

Alpine driver Gasly has told the : “I've been a massive PSG fan since I was five years old. I remember the days of Pauleta. There was Ronaldinho; Ibra came over, Beckham came over. You can name all the superstars – Messi, Neymar, Mbappe. I've supported every single season and I will always support the team, no matter what. But this is football, anything can happen. Look at the Euros… as much as we like to predict the outcome of matches, how can we be sure? That's the beauty of sport – anything is possible. So long as you get a shot, you have to believe in it. Maybe, then, next year will be the one for the Champions League trophy.”

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Gasly added when asked to pick his PSG hero, having had to pick between football and racing in his younger years: “It's tough but if I need to pick one out, it will be Pauleta. I looked up to him when I was a kid. I played football from when I was five until I was 11 and Pauleta was very iconic. Then I had to take a decision between football and racing, basically. I think I picked the right sport for my life!”

Tottenham have "positioned" themselves to sign a bargain alternative to heavily-linked Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, and it is believed they're prepared to offer him far more than his current salary.

Spurs keen on new midfielder this summer

Reports over the last fortnight have suggested that Spurs are still very eager to bring in a new midfield running man for Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs prepared to pay £51m for ace who Villas-Boas likened to van der Vaart

The Lilywhites face competition from PSG.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 21, 2024

Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, much like over the course of January, is a name regularly mentioned as a Spurs target, while the likes of Atalanta's Teun Koopmeiners, Everton midfielder James Garner and de Jong have emerged as other names who Johan Lange and co have their eyes on.

There are even suggestions that Tottenham are prepared to bid around £51m for de Jong, but they may hit a big roadblock in the player's stance surrounding an exit from Barcelona.

"I know that many things are invented, you write things that are not true. You are doing it in general with many players, even coaches. You cannot do that, you’re inventing things," said de Jong in a fiery outburst to the media recently.

"It’s a lot of smoke, a lot of lies, that I’m earning €40 million (£34m) or so… the truth is that it is far from what I earn. I won’t say figures, but they have invented a story that is not true.

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"I am very happy at Barca, it is the club of my dreams. I hope to continue playing for Barca for many years.

"I consider that the club is my teammates, the staff… and I am enjoying it a lot. The press sometimes criticise my level, that doesn’t matter because everyone can have their opinion. But I don’t accept lies."

As the Dutchman looks far more unlikely to consider leaving the Camp Nou based on these comments, Spurs may have to look elsewhere, and a potential bargain alternative they have in their sights is Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The 28-year-old, who is out of contract this summer as things stand, could sign for Spurs on a Bosman deal.

Tottenham "have positioned" themselves for Rabiot

According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham "have positioned" themselves to sign Rabiot and are capable of offering the player a "super salary" worth more than the £125,000-per-week (roughly) he is on right now.

Arsenal and Liverpool are in the same position, though, so the race for his signature could be a very interesting one.

“We are talking about a problem for Juventus because in Italy he may have been targeted for criticism, but in France it’s completely different," said former Juventus striker David Trezeguet.

"He is world-class, an extraordinary player. Now he will evaluate his options and will go back to being the important player he always was.”