Since signing Fabio Silva on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the month, Rangers have endured a fairly quiet January transfer window. However, that hasn't stopped the transfer rumours from pouring in, with the Gers looking to add even more attacking reinforcements to Philippe Clement's squad.

Rangers transfer news

Throughout the month, Rangers have been linked with a number of new forwards, from Michy Batshuayi all the way to Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland. With just seven days left in the January transfer window, however, it remains Silva and Silva only to have walked through the door at Ibrox.

That could be set to change soon though, and not with the arrival of Shankland or, indeed, Batshuayi. Instead, reports indicate that Nordsjaelland midfielder Mohamed Diomande is set to undergo a medical ahead of signing for Rangers this month.

Diomande looks set to complete a move worth a reported £4.5m in what could provide Clement a major boost in pursuit of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership. The Gers may not be done after Diomande, either. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Rangers are still working on more names.

Reporter says he's "been told" of exciting striker news at Rangers

There has been a twist in the saga.

ByHenry Jackson Jan 22, 2024

Romano told GiveMeSport: “I think Rangers will look at some opportunities. They are working on some names, so, obviously, now it's time to enter into concrete stages of negotiations. I expect them to try to make something happen in the window's final days.”

With that said, it could prove to be a busy week for Rangers as they look to end the January transfer window in style. Whether that results in a fresh face to lead the line alongside Silva remains to be seen, but an offensive addition would certainly be welcome at Ibrox, that's for sure.

Where Rangers must improve

Well aware that his side still need further additions, Clement recently spoke about the chance that Rangers complete more January business, saying via Rangers News: "Everybody’s aligned about that, that we need a few more in certain positions. And everybody in the club who is involved in that is working day and night about that, I know.

"We are a lot in contact. It’s been really busy with those things but until a signature is set by three parties – player, we, and the other team – until that is not done, it’s not done.

“So I am waiting and I am focused on the players who are here, beside all the talks that we have with other players and looking at other players. So that’s my job to do in January. That’s why for every manager, when it’s the first of February, we are always very happy that this hectic period can stop.”

When looking at the current Rangers squad, even after the arrival of Silva, they could still do with an out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line. Sam Lammers' loan exit also raises the need to welcome a fresh face and that, alongside Abdallah Sima's lengthy injury blow, has potentially left the Gers with no choice but to return to the market this month.

Tottenham Hotspur will only play once in the Premier League until the end of January, with the FA Cup third round taking control of English domestic football this weekend.

Granted, that league fixture comes at Old Trafford to face Manchester United, and while the Red Devils have endured a poor campaign thus far, Ange Postecoglou's side will need their wits about them to continue the recent purple patch.

Manchester City eyeing "super" Spurs star in repeat of Kyle Walker transfer

City only sold him in 2022.

By
David Comerford

Jan 5, 2024

Having enjoyed a stunning start to the season and taking top spot in the early title race, injuries and absences to key players laid waste to the resurgence and a five-match winless run indeed threatened the very fight for Champions League football – with last year's eighth-place finish keeping the football on the domestic front this term.

While the London club have impressed of late and will further emboldened by the imminent returns of multiple absent stars, it's clear that a defender is needed, with Postecoglou even admitting that signing a centre-half is his "priority" this month.

Spurs transfer targets – January

Spurs technical director Johan Lange has scoured the market for possible additions for the backline over the past several months, with OGC Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo of much attention before transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed discussions had collapsed as Spurs desire a swift solution.

Genoa's Radu Dragusin was the new contender for a starring role in the rearguard, and while it has been understood that a deal has inched closer to completion over the past several days, Serie A champions Napoli have rocked the boat with their newly-kindled interest for the £25m-valued defender.

Should Spurs fail to sign the Romanian, advancing their intrigue in Ko Itakura might offer the perfect solution, with Spurs – alongside Liverpool – known to be suitors for the Borussia Monchengladbach star, who is enticed by the thought of moving to the Premier League – according to Caught Offside.

Ko Itakura's style of play

Itakura, aged 26, has been a mainstay in Gladbach's defence since signing from Premier League giants Manchester City for €5m (£4m) in 2022, having spent multiple years out on loan and never broke into the first-team for Pep Guardiola's side.

During his time on City's books – during a loan spell in the Netherlands with Groningen – he was hailed as "one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie" by pundit Hans Kraay, who also noted his "incredibly fast" pace.

But since finding a permanent home in the German Bundesliga, the £31k-per-week ace has proven himself to be one of the division's most reliable and dynamic defenders, completing 91% of his passes, winning 62% of his duels and averaging 3.8 clearances per game in the league last season, as per Sofascore.

This season, the 22-cap international sustained an ankle injury in October after scoring twice from seven outings, and while he has yet to feature since, he was named in Japan's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, hinting that a return to fitness is just around the corner.

To showcase his expansive skill set, the Japan international ranks among the top 12% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 15% for goals scored and the top 7% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

Such a style would only be welcomed under Postecoglou's guidance, with the Australian displaying a certain proclivity for fluidity in expression in his team.

In 2022, Itakura received praise for his dominant performance for Japan against Brazil's Neymar Jr. in a friendly overture to the World Cup, and while the now Al-Hilal forward scored the only goal in the game from the penalty spot, he was subdued against the lively Itakura, whose manager said: "His contribution was a big part of the reason why the team was able to fight without collapsing.”

He's also established and is at ease on both sides of the central defence, meaning that he could confidently stand in for the left-footed Micky van de Ven when called upon.

Why Spurs should sign Ko Itakura

Waxing lyrical over the 6 foot 1 defender's protean approach to his play, Gladach sporting director Roland Virkus said: "Ko covers an unbelievable amount of ground and is a tactically disciplined player who can operate in different positions in defence, including as a No.6."

Given his goalscoring instinct, ball-playing ability and robustness, Itakura could be the perfect alternative to the titan that is Cristian Romero, who is one of English football's finest defenders but has been available too infrequently of late, with injuries and suspensions hindering his campaign.

Cristian Romero: Key Characteristics
Strengths	Weaknesses
Passing	Discipline
Tackling
Dribbling
*Sourced via WhoScored

In the Premier League this season, Romero has scored three goals from 15 appearances, completing 92% of his passes, averaging 5.9 ball recoveries and 3.4 clearances per game and succeeding with a noteworthy 70% of his duels.

Moreover, he ranks among the top 13% of positional peers for goals, the top 5% for tackles, the top 14% for blocks and the top 17% for pass completion and passes attempted per 90.

Speaking of Spurs' revival this season, The Athletic's Charlie Eccleshare attributed much of the newfound solidity to the Argentine's leadership, saying: "He makes them (the rest of the back 5 who had never or barely played in the PL) feel like they belong and that they can flourish. He's an outstanding defender, someone you want in your team. Ridiculous bravery."

Much like the Lilywhites centrepiece, Itakura has established himself as a key cog in the Gladbach machine and was hailed a "leading figure" by erstwhile boss Daniel Farke last season.

With Eric Dier attracting attention from Bayern Munich, signing a centre-back makes perfect sense for Tottenham, and Itakura would be the astute addition to really make a difference for this ambitious set of players.

MatériaMais Notícias

O goleiro Brenno, de apenas 21 anos de idade, é a figura da vez na meta do Grêmio. Diante do Esportivo, pelo Campeonato Gaúcho, o jovem arqueiro voltou a atuar pela equipe profissional do Grêmio depois de um ano e meio em momento onde Vanderlei e Paulo Victor passam por fortes questionamentos diante de atuações instáveis.

RelacionadasOddsApostas: Cotações para duelo do Grêmio na LibertadoresOdds16/03/2021FortalezaPróximo reforço do Fortaleza deve ser o meia IsaqueFortaleza15/03/2021Grêmio‘Não me faço nenhuma ilusão’, cravou vice do Grêmio sobre Rafael Carioca e Douglas CostaGrêmio15/03/2021

>Classificação atual do Gauchão

Seguro ao longo dos 90 minutos, Brenno ajudou o Tricolor a não ser vazado na vitória por 2 a 0. Mais do que isso, salvou o que seria o gol de empate dos adversários, com difícil defesa na segunda etapa.

Nas redes sociais, o goleiro celebrou a oportunidade e a vitória na Montanha dos Vinhedos:

– Feliz demais por voltar a atuar depois de quase um ano e meio sem uma partida oficial.

Relacionado para o jogo da Libertadores nessa terça-feira (16), Brenno ainda exaltou o grupo que esteve em campo diante do Esportivo. Os mesmos atletas permanecem no duelo frente ao Ayacucho-PER, na competição continental:

– Só a agradecer a Deus por esse momento, pela vitória e pelo grande jogo que o grupo fez.

England’s newest fast bowler believes he’s got the game to excel in 50 overs after earning late squad place

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-20193:10

Archer brings special things to a cricket field – Smith

Jofra Archer believes that his experience of performing under pressure at the IPL will help him to deal with the spotlight of his maiden World Cup, after he was named in England’s final World Cup squad only weeks after making his international debut.Archer, 24, has played just three ODIs and a T20I since his first appearance for England in Malahide earlier this month. But he has impressed with his 90mph pace and versatility as both a new-ball and death-overs bowler, and was named in the final 15 this morning ahead of David Willey.”I got a call from Ed Smith yesterday, maybe at about six o’clock or so,” Archer told Sky Sports News. “I was actually driving at the time and I just felt the phone vibrate and I answered it without looking at it, then that to stop myself and say “good evening”. “But it was really, really exciting to be a part of a big summer for English cricket.”ALSO READ: Archer, Vince, Dawson included in England’s World Cup squadArcher’s rise to international recognition has been dramatic. Late last year, he had still been reconciled to spending a full seven years completing his residency qualification, which would have made him available to England by 2021-22. But when the ECB reduced that period to three years, he suddenly became available in March this year”I had got it in my head that I’d have to wait seven years,” he said. “Then back in December, they obviously changed it a little bit, but I was prepared to wait however long it would take.”In between spending the obligatory 210 days a year in the UK to fulfil his residency obligations, Archer had been making his name on the T20 circuit with notable spells in numerous domestic competitions, notably with Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Prior to his England call-up, he had played just 14 50-over matches in his professional career, but insisted he was not worried by this lack of specific experience.”I think I’m ready,” he added. “I’ve played a lot of cricket outside of 50 overs. And I know to deal with the pressure of crowds. Obviously because I was playing franchise cricket, that was the reason why it wasn’t able to play much List A cricket for Sussex, but you don’t forget how to bowl. And I think you get more opportunities to bowl than in T20s, you get another six extra overs there to take more wickets.”Furthermore, Archer’s regular encounters with some of the best players in the world on the T20 circuit mean that he is arguably better prepared for dealing with the talent in the World Cup than many more experienced international bowlers.”I think I probably have a bigger advantage over some of the other guys in our team,” he said. “We play [these guys] twice a [season] in the IPL, so you know their weaknesses, you know their strengths, you know if they can’t run between the wickets … it gets you an extra bit of inside information.Jofra Archer in his followthrough•Getty Images”To be honest, I think international cricket is probably the same intensity as the IPL,” he added. “‘I think the only thing that changes is the amount of overs but, ever since I’ve started, the pressure is really intense. It’s different, but it still isn’t different.”Despite some outspoken comments in the media from his rivals for World Cup selection – not least David Willey, the man whom he pipped to the final spot – Archer insisted he could not have been made more welcome by his new team-mates.”Everyone welcomed me with open arms from the moment I got in,” he said. “It’s a really good team to be a part of, with great players, a great captain, great support staff and coaches. It’s probably one of the better teams have played in.”Asked whether England were ready to live up to their billing as the No.1 ODI team in the world, and pre-tournament favourites, Archer said there would be pressure in a home tournament regardless of the team’s merit. However, he felt that the experience of grinding out results in a long county season would play into the squad’s hands as they embark on a tough six-week campaign.”This is what the county season prepared us for,” he said. “The county season is about five or six months long, just relentless. I don’t think it should feel any different for any of our guys because we usually play from March to September anyway. For a lot of the teams, this isn’t their summer, they are not usually playing cricket at this time of year. So these are the little things that can work in our favour.”Asked who he was most looking forward to dismissing during the World Cup, Archer namechecked India’s captain, Virat Kohli. But he also added that the best player that he had bowled to during the IPL was his own England team-mate, Jos Buttler, in the nets with Rajasthan.”I’d quite like to get Virat out, because I wasn’t able to get him in the IPL because I think a leggie got him in every game he played. I also wanted to bowl at AB [de Villiers] as well, but don’t think he’s playing for South Africa. And probably Chris Gayle again.”But Buttler, he’s amazing, he’s a 360 cricketer, he can hit you straight down the ground and can paddle you right behind the keeper’s head… I don’t think anywhere’s safe as a bowler.”I’ve not really had a chance to speak to him about batting, but I spoke to Ben [Stokes] when we batted in the middle a few times in the IPL. If the opportunity to bat does come in the World Cup, having a familiar face at the other end should help calm the nerves.”Further afield, there is also the prospect of Archer making his England Test debut with the Ashes looming in August.”If they do [pick me], I’d be over the moon,” he said. “But for right now I’ve got a World Cup to think about. I don’t expect to waltz in to the Test team either so, if selected, I’ll work my butt off. But, if not, I’ll go back to Sussex and keeping putting in performances.”

Aston Villa have simply been phenomenal this season with Unai Emery’s side sitting second in the Premier League, just three points behind Liverpool in first.

They've also made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2016 and made it through to the knock-out stages of the Conference League.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

3

4

42

16

19

12

4

3

40

24

20

12

4

4

40

17

Despite the success so far, however, the Spaniard is keen to recruit extra bodies in January, with a former Premier League star noted as someone who could strengthen Emery's attack.

Aston Villa want former Premier League star

According to Football Transfers, Villa are looking to bring in Wilfried Zaha this January with an approach having been made for both the Ivorian and Lazio's Felipe Anderson, once of West Ham.

Emery is known to be an admirer of the forward having wanted to sign him when he was at Arsenal, but the Palace fan favourite has only recently joined Turkish giant Galatasaray last summer.

Therefore, a move this month seems unlikely, with Zaha also reportedly happy in Turkey.

January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland

Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.

ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024 How Wilfried Zaha compares to Leon Bailey

Crystal Palace icon Zaha left the club last summer to seek a new opportunity after playing 458 games for the club, the most appearances in the Eagles’ history. Over the years, he netted 90 goals and registered 76 assists, often playing across the attack in numerous roles.

However, he has mainly featured on the left wing in Turkey, contributing nine goals in 23 starts across all competitions.

Games Played

14

Goals

3

Assists

0

Wins

5

Draws

3

Defeats

6

Wins at Villa Park

1

With Emery’s variant of the 4-4-1-1, Zaha could slot into the side at either right midfield or as a second striker, with the latter being the most likely.

Moussa Diaby has played in that role this season, but the signing of the ex-Palace man could see him move into his preferred wide right position, ultimately reducing Leon Bailey’s minutes, even though he has made 11 goal contributions in 18 Premier League matches this campaign.

Nonetheless, the table below shows Zaha’s stats from the 2022/23 Premier League season, with the aim of portraying his playstyle and indicating how he would fair at Villa.

Goals

0.28

Top 31%

Successful take-ons

2.16

Top 14%

Shots total

2.52

Top 16%

Touches (Att pen)

5.63

Top 20%

Fouls drawn

3.03

Top 2%

Football scout Antonio Mango previously labelled Zaha "frightening," and his relentless approach certainly supports that. The 31-year-old is a player who affects the game via his close dribbling, eagerness to drive at the opponent, and unleash attempts at goal, as highlighted by his touches in the box, successful take-ons, and shots total.

His pace, power, and athleticism make him extremely difficult to stop, and based on his fouls drawn stat, the only way to stop him is to take him down.

This would see Villa win more set pieces, which they are usually dangerous from, given that they have scored the joint-third most goals from those scenarios in the Premier League this season.

The former United ace isn’t exactly the most prolific goal scorer, but given that he was the focal point in a Palace team that wasn’t dominant, his potential has been harnessed.

However, if he were to sign for Villa, who are the joint-second-highest goal scorers in the Premier League this campaign, Emery would be confident of turning him into a machine, potentially replacing Bailey in the process.

At the time, Arsenal received plenty of praise for their summer business. They had, of course, spent a club-record £105m on a certain Declan Rice.

It was an eye-watering transfer that should and could still put them on parity with Manchester City but the rest of their business has left plenty to be desired.

Jurrien Timber is the unfortunate soul in this. An exciting signing from Ajax, he has played just two matches for the club after a horrendous knee injury suffered against Nottingham Forest on the opening day.

It took £65m signing Kai Havertz until November to score from open play and David Raya still hasn't totally sold Arsenal fans that he is an upgrade on Aaron Ramsdale.

The transfer window, therefore, looked important in turning their season around after a rocky New Year period that saw them lose three straight games. However, due to FFP, they may have to wait until the summer to spend big again.

Arsenal's plans for the summer window

Arsenal's primary goal in 2024 looks like it'll be bolstering their ranks with a shiny new striker but with extortionate fees being touted they may have to wait until the summer to tick that box.

Ivan Toney, valued at the £80m mark seemingly wants a big move if you believe his recent comments, but Brentford are not keen to sell mid-season, particularly after losing him for the first half of the campaign due to betting offences.

Related Mbappe-like striker 1 of 5 players Arsenal could sign instead of Ivan Toney

Arsenal could turn to one of these alternatives rather than signing Ivan Toney in 2024.

Posts ByMatt Dawson Dec 25, 2023

What Arsenal will need to be mindful of is how they spend their money. That's because one of their big midfield targets in Douglas Luiz is valued at a jaw-dropping £100m.

That said, according to a report from Football Insider over the weekend, the Gunners are still 'pushing hard' behind the scenes to sign the Brazilian from Aston Villa.

Arsenal have made bids for the former Manchester City man in previous windows but never eclipsed an offer of £25m prior to the midfielder signing a new deal at Villa Park.

It's further stated that the Villans are now in no rush to offer the player a further improvement to his current terms in the Midlands.

How Douglas Luiz compares to Granit Xhaka

Granit Xhaka's exit from English football last summer was bizarre to say the least. For much of his Arsenal career the Swiss had been the villain. He was the party pooper, a constant problem when it came to ill-discipline.

Yet, in 2022/23, Mikel Arteta found a way to get a tune out of Xhaka that had never been seen before.

Before last term, the Switzerland international was more of an orchestrator, someone who dictated the tempo and broke play up. However, under Arteta's watch Xhaka became the ultimate box-crashing left-sided '8'.

Granit Xhaka's Arsenal career in numbers

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

Yellows + Reds

2016/17

46

4

3

12 + 2

2017/18

43

3

8

12 + 0

2018/19

40

4

5

13 + 0

2019/20

41

1

2

13 + 0

2020/21

45

1

2

8 + 1

2021/22

30

1

2

10 + 2

2022/23

47

9

7

8 + 0

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Played next to captain Martin Odegaard, he arrived late in the penalty area to record career-best numbers in the attacking phases of play. Xhaka ended last season with nine goals and seven assists. To see him leave, therefore, was peculiar. He moved to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen where he is enjoying another miraculous season with Xabi Alonso's men topping the league.

In Luiz, however, they could finally look to replace Xhaka's output. Indeed. analyst Ben Mattinson declared back in November that the Villa midfielder was now performing in a "very similar" way to Arsenal's former captain.

This term, Luiz has been a sensation for Unai Emery's high-flying side, scoring seven times and assisting six goals in all competitions. He's potentially on course to better Xhaka's attacking numbers from last term.

That already bodes rather well if he was fielded in Arteta's system which truly feels tailor-made for a player boasting the Villa maestro's attributes. But, how do the two compare?

Douglas Luiz vs Granit Xhaka

Stat (per 90 mins)

Luiz – 23/24

Xhaka – 22/23

Goals

0.31

0.21

Assists

0.15

0.21

Shots

0.36

0.42

Pass Success

85%

85%

Key Passes

1.49

1.41

Passes into final third

4.38

4.44

Passes into penalty area

1.29

1.20

Progressive Passes

5.67

5.89

Shot-creating Actions

3.81

3.30

Tackles won

1.29

0.81

Progressive Carries

1.96

1.26

Successful take-ons

0.77

0.45

Stats via FBRef.

As we can see, the parallels in their respective roles and styles are rather remarkable. Until we get down to the number of tackles and take-ons the duo perform then they were almost identical.

They registered the same pass success rate, mirror each other well for key passes and passes into the final third, while there isn't a great deal between them when it comes to the level of goals and assists produced in 2023/24 and 2022/23.

It's difficult to say whether Luiz would have been available over the summer but when you analyse the level of performance here, it's staggering to think that Arsenal went out and sought Havertz as Xhaka's replacement, rather than the Brazilian. He is tailor-made to succeed the Swiss in that number 8 role.

يشعر المدير الفني لليفربول الإنجليزي، آرني سلوت، أن مارتين زوبيميندي كان سيشكل إضافة قوية لخط وسط الريدز، لكنه يصر على أن الفريق تخطى ذلك.

وكان زوبيميندي هدفًا أساسيًا لليفربول في السوق الصيفي، إلا أن اللاعب فضّل البقاء في صفوف فريقه ريال سوسيداد.

وذكرت تقارير في وقت سابق أن زوبيميندي نادم على قراره، وطالب ليفربول بالتعاقد معه في انتقالات يناير.

وعلى الرغم من الفشل في التعاقد مع زوبيميندي، فقد نجح خط وسط ليفربول تحت قيادة سلوت مع أداء جرافينبرخ وأليكسيس ماك أليستر ودومينيك سوبوسلاي بشكل جيد كثلاثي.

وقال سلوت في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” البريطانية: “إذا لاحظت أن الأمر لا يتعلق بلاعب وسط مدافع واحد، بل يتعلق باثنين”.

وأضاف: “ويمكن لأحد هذين اللاعبين أن يكون أكثر هجومية وأعتقد أن اللاعب الذي ذكرته (زوبيميندي) كان بإمكانه أن يتلاءم مع أحد هذين الدورين ويمكن لجرافنبرخ أن يتلاءم مع كلا الدورين مثل كورتيس جونز، أليكسيس ماك أليستر وواتارو إندو”.

وأصر سلوت: “لا جدوى من الحديث عن زوبيميندي بعد الآن لأنه بقي مع ريال سوسيداد ونحن تخطينا الأمر ونحن سعداء حقًا بجرافنبرخ”.

وأكمل: “أنت ترى جرافنبرخ مليئًا بالثقة وهذا يأتي عادةً مع الأداء الجيد والثقة في زملائك في الفريق ومعرفة أنك تستطيع القيام بما يجب عليك القيام به على هذا المستوى”.

وواصل: “لن أقول إنني مندهش لأنه هولندي، أنا هولندي، لذلك رأيته يلعب في أياكس عندما صعد إلى الفريق الأول”.

واستطرد: “رأى الجميع في ذلك الوقت مدى موهبته الخاصة وربما لهذا السبب ذهب إلى ناديين رائعين، بايرن ميونخ وليفربول”.

وشدد: “لا يمكنك الذهاب إلى هذه الأندية إلا إذا رأوا أنك تمتلك الكثير من الجودة، ثم يتعين علينا التأكد من أننا نحصل على أفضل ما لديه وهذا لا يعتمد فقط على ما نقوم به كطاقم تدريبي، بل أيضًا يعتمد عليه وهو الأمر الأكثر أهمية لذلك”.

With everyone expecting 300-plus scores, India were bundled out for 179 in just 39.2 overs in their first warm-up game against New Zealand

Hemant Brar25-May-2019With everyone expecting 300-plus scores, India were bundled out for 179 in just 39.2 overs in their first warm-up game against New Zealand. Under overcast skies on a surface with plenty of grass cover, Trent Boult thrilled the fans at The Oval to end with 4 for 33. He was well-supported by Jimmy Neesham who strengthened his case for a first-team place with 3 for 26.The New Zealand openers too fell early in the small chase but half-centuries from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor helped them cruise to victory with six wickets and almost 13 overs to spare. Will the result affect India, one doubts it, but New Zealand definitely had a fruitful outing.Trent Boult and the understated genius of the New Zealand kit•IDI via Getty Images

Kohli had the luck with the coin but India’s top order had no answer to Boult who gave New Zealand a perfect start, striking not once, not twice, but thrice with the new ball.First, he sent Rohit back with a swing bowler’s two-ball trick. Boult pitched his first ball of the match on a length around off stump, Rohit played for the inswing and pushed his bat forward only to get beaten as the ball moved away after landing. The next ball pitched in line with the stumps and nipped back to trap Rohit lbw. The batsman opted for a review but replays confirmed the ball would have clipped the bails.Boult deployed a similar strategy against Shikhar Dhawan, taking a couple of balls away from the left-hand batsman before bringing one back to find a faint inside edge.With Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav nursing little niggles, it was a golden chance for KL Rahul to stake a claim on the No. 4 spot. He had a tough initiation to his innings with Southee and Boult swinging the ball both ways. Southee even got one to beat the bat and hit the batsman on the pads. New Zealand reviewed the not-out lbw decision, but replays showed the ball would have missed the leg stump comfortably.In the next over, Rahul drove Boult through the covers for a boundary. But the seamer pulled his length back the next ball, Rahul tried to dab towards third man only to deflect it on to the stumps. Rahul knew he had burnt his chance, his frustration reflecting in him kicking the ball as it ricocheted off the stumps.KL Rahul drags onto his stumps•Getty Images

With India reduced to 24 for 3, Kohli showed the way to bat in these conditions, standing outside his crease and taking a big stride forward to negate the swing. He not only survived but also hit a couple of crunching drives. However, it looked like he let his guard down against Colin de Grandhomme, and was bowled through the gate while trying to work a length ball from off stump towards midwicket.Hardik Pandya, batting at No. 5, gave the team management some confidence with 30 off 37 balls that he can do more with the bat than just being a finisher. But his innings was cut short by Neesham, who got the batsman out caught-behind. Three balls later, Dinesh Karthik flicked a leg-stump half-volley straight down the throat of Ish Sodhi at fine leg.Dhoni fell shortly afterwards, and soon India were struggling at 115 for 8. Ravindra Jadeja attacked his way to 54 off 50 balls, especially taking on the spinners, as he and Kuldeep Yadav added 62 for the ninth wicket but a brilliant low catch at point by Martin Guptill brought an end to Jadeja’s innings. Boult then returned to wrap up the innings with Kuldeep’s wicket.A target of 180 was never going to challenge New Zealand, and perhaps it was also an opportunity for Colin Munro to get some runs under his belt. He started with a first-ball four but had no reply to swinging yorker from Bumrah and was lbw without adding any further runs. Guptill played some adventurous shots before holing out to Pandya for 22 off 28.That brought New Zealand’s two best batsmen – Williamson and Taylor – in the middle. Williamson had a slow start. He was 3 off 20, and then 23 off 50 as India placed a square-ish gully to cut off his favourite dab to third man.But the New Zealand captain hit his stride after the spinners were brought on. He first square drove a Kuldeep googly before stepping out to loft the bowler over mid-off. Chahal was swept effortlessly over midwicket for a six as Williamson reached his fifty off 69 balls.At the other end, Taylor rode his luck to a fifty of his own. When he was on 3, Yuzvendra Chahal failed to get under a skier, and then Karthik failed to latch on to a faint edge with the batsman on 41. But it didn’t end there. When on 55, Taylor was stranded half-way down the pitch while going for a second run but Pandya missed a run-out opportunity as his wayward throw allowed the batsmen to make his ground safely. He eventually fell for 71 with the scores level but Henry Nicholls completed the formality with a single.

Chelsea are believed to be the favourites to sign a big-name striker in a potential mega-money transfer this year, according to one journalist.

Chelsea eyeing new forward

The Blues appear to be on the hunt to secure the services of a marquee forward in 2024, with the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen both linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.

Mauricio Pochettino has Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja as his go-to options at this moment in time, although the former has had a tricky start to life in England and is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, while the latter has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit.

Therefore, Todd Boehly may need to get the chequebook out again over the coming months, and there have been claims that the Blues had recently failed with a £73m offer for Gyokeres.

Things look to be more positive when it comes to Osimhen, though, with the Napoli star reportedly open to a transfer after Chelsea held “positive” talks with the player’s entourage.

“I understand Chelsea have had contact with Osimhen’s entourage in recent weeks/days to discuss the possibility of the Napoli striker joining Chelsea. The feedback they have had is positive, with there being an understanding that Osimhen would be open to joining Chelsea", journalist Simon Phillips said earlier this month.

“Behdad Eghbali has initiated this contact and now has good relations with Osimhen’s agent. Now, that doesn’t mean Chelsea are 100% signing Osimhen, and it doesn’t mean that he would also not be open to joining other clubs if they come in.

“But right now, Chelsea’s ownership are very keen to try and do something to get Osimhen in the door at Chelsea and one source has even said they are still looking for a way to try and make that happen this month.”

It now looks as if Chelsea are in a good position to get a transfer done at some point this year, following a new claim from journalist Dean Jones.

Victor Osimhen transfer latest

According to Jones, writing for GiveMeSport, Chelsea are the current “favourites” to win the race for Osimhen. The Blues are in pole position for the Nigeria international ahead of Real Madrid, with sources in Spain insisting he is not currently a key target at the Bernabeu.

Chelsea, who have been in early contact over a move for Osimhen through intermediaries, were worried about potential interest from the European giants. However, Jones adds that Madrid ‘spending over £100million on Osimhen has not been factored into that at this stage, giving Chelsea further hope as they prepare their pitch for the Nigerian goal machine’.

Osimhen, whose release clause stands at €130m (£110m) has gone from strength to strength in front of goal with Napoli and has been dubbed a goal-scoring "machine" and "Napoli’s heart and soul" by journalist Mina Rzouki.

82

20

18

18

7

2

146

93

62

3.89

2.43

2.04

345

120

100

Career stats, as per FBref

Meanwhile, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the player as a “superman”.

If Chelsea were to get a deal over the line for Osimhen, it could help take Pochettino’s side to the next level, especially after the forward’s 31-goal tally during the 2022/23 season.

Alex Lees scored a crucial unbeaten half-century to keep Durham ahead in the game against Derbyshire going into the final day of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Emirates Riverside.An innings of 79 from Matt Critchley pulled the visitors to within 25 runs of Durham’s total before they were bowled out for 268. Ben Raine and Gareth Harte claimed four wickets apiece to do the damage for the hosts.Derbyshire came roaring back into the contest as Ravi Rampaul and Luis Reece caused havoc using overcast conditions to their advantage, taking five wickets between them. Amid the chaos at the other end, Lees provided vital resistance for the home side, notching his second fifty of the game to guide his team into a 185-run lead at the close.Derbyshire began the day 112 runs behind the home side on 181 for 6, and they were soon under pressure losing Leus du Plooy for 17 when he was caught behind off Raine. Critchley held firm under pressure and was able to make his way to a half-century from 88 deliveries, reaching the milestone with a boundary.Harte returned to the Durham attack to remove Logan van Beek, claiming his fourth wicket of the innings. Despite losing Van Beek and Tony Palladino, Critchley frustrated Durham’s attempt to take complete control of the contest. He and Rampaul added valuable runs for the final wicket, bringing the the visitors to within 25 runs of the home side’s first-innings total before Chris Rushworth removed Rampaul for 12.Rampaul made immediate inroads into the Durham line-up as Michael Jones failed again at the top of the innings, edging to Alex Hughes second slip for only nine. Luis Reece put the pressure on the hosts, claiming the vital wicket of Cameron Bancroft, who was well caught low down by Hughes. However, Lees and Harte were able to stem the tide, building a solid partnership for the third wicket by being patient in their approach.The two put on a stand worth 52 before Harte chipped a simple chance to Critchley in the covers off Rampaul to fall for 26. Jack Burnham followed his team-mate back to the pavilion as Rampaul pulled off a brilliant return catch to dismiss the batsman for a duck.Lees almost continued the procession, but he was dropped at first slip by Wayne Madsen after edging a delivery from van Beek. Although Lees survived, the collapse was only briefly stymied as Liam Trevaskis was bowled by Reece to leave the home side in trouble at 86 for 5, with only a slender lead.The home side regrouped with Lees and Ned Eckersley, the former making his way to his second fifty of the match from 169 balls. They reached their fifty partnership and looked poised to take Durham to the close unbeaten. Derbyshire were presented with a run out chance to dismiss Lees, only for Tom Lace to throw wide of Harvey Hosein to spurn the opening, allowing the home side to end the day with a healthy lead and five wickets in hand.