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Tim Wigmore at Hove23-May-2017
ScorecardDurham’s hopes of escape rest largely on Paul Collingwood•Getty ImagesSussex consider themselves a Division One county temporarily marooned in Division Two. Yet memories of the glories of the mid-2000s, and their three titles in five years, are receding. The £10 million bequeathed by Spen Cama in 2001 has almost been exhausted, even if the improvements to the ground will ensure a lasting legacy. While finishing fourth in Division Two last season, and losing their opening two Championship games in 2017, Sussex’s cricket has borne less resemblance to their triumphs earlier this century than the barren times that came before.But to be at Hove in the last few days has been to be transported back to the age of all conquering Sussex-by-the-sea, the image undermined only by the sea mist that wafted across the ground on the third afternoon. Until the sepulchral skies compelled Sussex to bowl spin in the last portion of the day, their performance had been utterly ruthless.First, there were the runs: so greedy that they felt almost sadistic, more in the spirit of Steve Waugh’s Australia than the old caricature of jovial Sussex. With an overnight lead of 165, Sussex more than doubled it in spite of losing two early wickets.Michael Burgess, playing on trial during Ben Brown’s injury, was resourceful and energetic in his 76, seldom playing in the batsman’s V but placing the ball astutely and scampering between the wickets. Admirably as he played, altogether more memorable was the contribution of another 22-year-old, Jofra Archer.Archer’s reward for 153 runs in Sussex’s first two Championship games, second only to the absent Brown, was a double demotion down to No. 10. If he was affronted by the decision – and Archer doesn’t give the impression of being bothered by much – his ire was reserved for Durham’s attack.Arriving at the crease at 566 for 8 was not a situation that called for restraint, and Archer did not show it. In a little over an hour, he struck five sixes – all against spin, and all into the leg side – that gave notice of his power. Yet it was Archer’s other shots, most notably a dreamy leg-side flick off Paul Coughlin, taking a stride forward to clatter the ball through midwicket, that gave notice of the full scope of his batting talent. Regardless of his position this game, Archer is much more than a big-hitting tailender: if he is not a genuine allrounder, the sort not remotely flattered by batting at No. 7, just yet, he surely soon will be.When Archer was caught attempting his sixth six, it was the prelude to him bowling again, a sight that Durham can have enjoyed scarcely more than his batting. His early burst did not bring wickets, but it brought almost everything else: venomous bouncers, which whizzed through at head height, persistent away swing, and nous. Archer set up Cameron Steel, Durham’s No. 3, with a series of deliveries that moved away; only an inside edge saved Steel when Archer brought the ball back in.It mattered not. Vernon Philander, wicketless in his opening game for Sussex and then injured, bowled with the zest expected of a man ranked the world’s 11th best Test bowler, which has not always been true during his stints in county cricket. He needed only a single delivery to win his tussle with compatriot Stephen Cook, who was squared up by a ball that curved awa. Four overs later, Keaton Jennings’ off stump was dislodged by a delivery that went through his gate.When Philander was replaced, it brought Durham no relief. Now it was Chris Jordan’s chance to move the ball both ways down the slope, doing so with vim. Outswing accounted for Steel, brilliantly snaffled by Chris Nash at second slip, who had shelled two far simpler chances off Jordan in the first innings; Graham Clark was then lbw, cut open by a ball that angled in.If Sussex like to imagine their stop in Division Two is only fleeting, the same is emphatically true of Durham, only in Division Two because of administrative failings rather than performance on the pitch.But, on this evidence, even promotion in 2018 may prove onerous. At Hove, Durham have had the look of a patched-up side, betraying the impact of being ravaged by departures, England commitments and ill-fortune, compounded by a mid-match injury to Graham Onions.The qualities of their opening batsmen and bowlers are without question, notwithstanding Cook’s underwhelming start; so is the spirit, embodied in an excellent fielding performance impervious to Durham’s bleak position in the game. Whether, besides Paul Collingwood, three days short of his 41st birthday, there is enough high-calibre support is altogether more doubtful.Redoubtable as ever, Collingwood and Ryan Pringle withstood over 200 balls together unbroken, though the spin they faced was altogether less threatening than Sussex’s pace attack, with which they will be reacquainted in the morning. On hopes of Collingwood reprising the adhesiveness of England days past lie Durham’s slim chances of leaving England’s southernmost ground without a second Championship defeat of 2017.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Brazilian defender Lucas Beraldo, as the Old Gold prepare for a squad rebuild this summer.

Julen Lopetegui has bid farewell to seven players already this transfer window, in both sales and expirations of contracts at Molineux.

With almost £80m accumulated in sales, the Spaniard can set his focus to replenishing his squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, as Wolves hope for an improvement on last term.

Could Wolves sign Lucas Beraldo?

As reported by GOAL Brazil earlier this week, Wolves have Sao Paulo centre-back Beraldo in their sights.

The report claimed that the Midlands club are interested in the Brazilian, with it noted that they could offer Sao Paulo a fee in the region of €7m (£6m) despite no formal proposal sent as of yet.

Contracted until 2026 with the Brazilian side, Wolves’ valuation of the defender could be deemed too low, with his release clause reported to be set between €40m and €50m (£34m-£43m).

How good is Lucas Beraldo?

Lopetegui could snatch a bargain for the 19-year-old at a critical time at Molineux.

Having just sold centre-back Nathan Collins to Brentford, and Max Kilman’s future uncertain, it’s integral that the Spaniard hires in the central defence department this summer.

In 10 Brazilian Serie A appearances this year, the teenager has asserted his dominance on the back line in winning a monstrous 67% of his total duels, via Sofascore.

At just 19, the "gem" has been lauded as being a "superb ball-playing" centre-back by Kulig, signifying that he could be just the player that Lopetegui requires to rejuvenate the defence at Wolves.

Such praise is supported by his numbers, with FBref revealing the extent of the luxury Molineux could add to their ranks, with Beraldo averaging an impressive 5.85 progressive passes per 90 over the past year.

To highlight what the Brazilian could offer to Lopetegui, fellow centre-back Max Kilman averaged 3.46 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League last term, suggesting that the Spaniard could unlock a new dimension of play from the back.

While filling numbers are integral this summer ahead of the new season, Wolves must introduce added quality to make up for those lost in the transfer market.

Nathan Collins fell out of favour with the manager which subsequently paved the way for his departure to Brentford, however, Lopetegui could land himself a player of the Irishman’s calibre in his replacement.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old averaged 3.18 progressive passes per 90, as well as averaging 1.34 tackles and 4.17 clearances per 90 in the Premier League last term.

While the teenager’s progressive outlet was an improvement on Collins’, his defensive stability over the past year suggests that he could be a talent of similar force to the Brentford man at Molineux.

As told by FBref, the Piracicaba-born gem averaged 1.75 tackles and 4.72 clearances per 90 for Sao Paulo, as well as making an average of 1.14 blocks and winning 1.75 aerials per 90.

At just 19, Lopetegui could integrate an influential talent to his back line, in a player that has the numbers to suggest he could adequately fill the boots of the departed Collins this summer.

Reactions from the England players and team management after their triumph over India in a nail-biting World Cup final at Lord’s

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2017Anya Shrubsole”I’m a little bit lost for words, if I’m honest. Just an unbelievable game. It looked for a minute like we were out of it, but one of the great things about this team is we never give up. Alex Hartley got that vital wicket of Harmanpreet (Kaur) and we never looked back from there.”It’s more that you don’t want the game to be ruined by rain. It was just an amazing game from start to finish, and I think it’s a very fitting final for what’s been a brilliant World Cup. It’s a World Cup final, there’s a huge amount of pressure, so much pressure on new batters coming in. We never let the run rate get away from us, even though we weren’t getting wickets, so we knew if we got a couple, we’d be right in the game. It’s a dream, and a dream you never think is going to come true. Here, watching my dad play in the club national knockouts, so to be back 16 years later as a World Cup winner is just amazing.”Heather Knight”I can’t stop smiling, to be honest. So proud of that group of girls, they have been outstanding. We’ve made it hard for ourselves this tournament, but I couldn’t care less. We won those really tight games, which is something we wanted to work on over the last 18 months. Back in Delhi feels like a long time ago, but it was the making of this team. All we’ve done in the last 18 months is to deal with situations like that. Anya Shrubsole, what a hero. What a day.”Credit to India, they had a brilliant tournament and played really well. Punam (Raut) was batting outstandingly and they got some partnerships together. I thought if we hung in there and let the rate stay around five or six that we’d always be in the game. The girls really held their nerve. We took our catches at the end, apart from that little one by Jenny Gunn which was slightly stressful, but the main thing is we got over the line and have got the trophy. Just want to thank the crowd, the support has been fantastic throughout the tournament. Hopefully after our success, we can grow the game in this country. There has never been a better time for girls to play.”Tammy Beaumont”Robbo (Mark Robinson, the coach) had to remind me that I’ve been doing well. So many of the girls stood up. It’s been a great team performance. Myself and Lauren got off to a good start, but we thought we threw it away. But our batting order has been superb. Jenny Gunn and Katherine Brunt were excellent. Full credit to Raut and Kaur, they put on an exceptional partnership. In my head, it was never in doubt, we knew one wicket could change things. It was back in April that we all came here to the Lord’s tour. Lot of hard work went into it, all for just this moment.”Sarah Taylor”Probably couldn’t have been a better comeback, I’m just so proud of the girls. It’s been a roller coaster year for me, but to be part of this team has been simply incredible. For me, it was a case of being healthy, just get back training and see how I go. I was just lucky to be here for the World Cup. India played exceptionally well and we’ve been there, so we know it hurts. But I guess you have to rebuild, come back stronger, and this will make them better cricketers and better people. Good luck to them in the future. Heather Knight’s such a calm character, there was no pressure on us at all. She just lets us play our game. She’s been an incredible character for us and an incredible person.”Alex Hartley”I can’t believe it. This is what we’ve been working for. The girls were absolutely fantastic. It’s a dream come true for all of us. I’ve never stepped onto Lord’s before in a game, absolutely fantastic that we managed to pull it off. At that moment, you can’t really think of that (that a World Cup is at stake), you get too nervous. For me, it’s just another cricket game, but at the back of the mind, it was the World Cup. Anya Shrubsole, what a hero.”Laura Marsh”Think I bowled okay, but Anya was just outstanding at the end, to take all those wickets under pressure was fantastic. I think in a World Cup final, every run is really important. We always knew we’re right in the game. We just stuck in there, it was brilliant.”Fran Wilson”We knew we’d be able to pull through. We’ve done it before; we knew we could do it again. Credit to Anya, she was amazing. Everyone was amazing. I can’t tell you what was going through my head. I guess just past experiences, knowing that 20,000 people are behind you and also the 11 girls on the pitch and the support staff, all willing you on, and that’s always going to keep you calm. It was amazing, an incredible experience. I can’t imagine life after the World Cup.”Jenny Gunn”It’s brilliant to be here at Home of Cricket, Lord’s, home support, in front of family and friends, is just amazing. This is one of the best teams I’ve played with.”England coach Mark Robinson”India played really well, but I’m so proud of the girls. We knew we were 30 light, but we knew we were always in the game. The wicket has been used before, early in the year, so slow bowlers were always going to be hard to get away. So it was a fighting score. This team has a lot of heart, lot of courage. We just needed that break every now and then, and once we had that break, we were right in this game. The game’s really grown, has been incredibly backed by the ICC, it has been marketed, the media has got behind it. And what an atmosphere today. I really enjoyed it. I was desperate for us to win, but it’s such a great occasion, and I just enjoyed every minute of it. The girls have been really well-behaved this trip, I don’t suppose they will be tonight.”

Amid Tottenham Hotspur's search for a new centre-back, reports in Italy have claimed that the Lilywhites are currently leading the race for Juventus star, Gleison Bremer…

What's the latest on Bremer to Tottenham?

According to Il Bianconero, the north London outfit are said to be 'ahead' in the battle to land the Brazilian defender, with the 26-year-old ready to say 'goodbye' to the Serie A side if he is to receive the 'right proposal'.

The former Torino man only joined the Old Lady on a £34.8m deal last summer, although it looks as if the 6 foot 2 ace – who still has four years left on his current contract – could be open to a swift exit from the Allianz Stadium.

If Spurs are get their man, however, there have been previous reports that the three-cap international could command a fee of around €80m (£69m), proving a potentially expensive option as far as manager Ange Postecoglou is concerned.

How good is Gleison Bremer?

While too much can often be made of pre-season performances, Tottenham's recent 3-2 defeat to rivals West Ham United has laid bare just why Postecoglou is need of defensive reinforcement, with the Greek-Aussie inheriting a side that shipped 63 Premier League goals last season – the sixth-worst record in the division.

The 57-year-old will no doubt be hoping to emulate the defensive strength that his former club Celtic showed over the past two seasons, having notably conceded just 34 goals en route to Scottish Premiership glory in the 2022/23 campaign.

A major factor in that solidity was the displays of ex-Spurs man, Cameron Carter-Vickers, with the United States international having cemented his place as arguably the "best defender in the league", according to Postecoglou.

The 25-year-old – who initially left north London to join the Hoops on loan back in 2021 – notably helped to keep 13 clean sheets in just 29 league outings last term, as per Sofascore, showcasing his class both in and out of possession after averaging 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game, while enjoying a pass accuracy rate of 92%.

With the signing of Bremer, therefore, Postecoglou could potentially be set to find his new Carter-Vickers to lead Tottenham's defensive unit, with the £153k-per-week "animal" – as hailed by his former teammate Mergim Vojvoda – having enjoyed a similar record in Italy last season.

The Juve ace notably helped to keep 12 clean sheets from 30 Serie A appearances for Max Allegri's side, while also averaging an impressive 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, as well as recording a 90% pass accuracy rate.

With Carter-Vickers having been something of a leader of late at Parkhead – having even been handed the captain's armband by his former boss on occasion last term – it is fair to say that he was firm favourite of Postecoglou, hence why it would make sense to snap up a dream alternative to the Southend-born ace in the form of Bremer.

For all the excitement that is building over the "fast, attacking style of play" that the experienced coach is set to try and implement on north London – in the words of chairman Daniel Levy – it will be just as important to have figures who can dominate at the other end of the pitch.

At Celtic, Carter-Vickers was Postecoglou's go-to man in that regard – perhaps Bremer can be the next…

Admitting that he has been disappointed by the selectors overlooking him, the Nottinghamshire allrounder has announced his continuing desire to play international cricket again

George Dobell at Edgbaston03-Sep-2017Samit Patel has admitted his “hurt” after being overlooked by England’s selectors.Man of the Match as Nottinghamshire won the NatWest Blast final at Edgbaston, Patel insisted he was “ready” for an England recall and suggested he would “be disappointed” if the selectors were not watching his Edgbaston performance.Having last played limited-overs cricket for England in early 2013, Patel believes he is a much-improved player with something to offer in all formats. But the lack of contact he has had with the selectors – he says there has been none at all since returning from South Africa as a non-playing member of the tour party in early 2016 – has left him considering phoning those involved to see what more he can do.”I love playing for England,” Patel said. “It means the utmost to me. I don’t think that I’ve let them down when I’ve pulled on an England shirt.”The selectors haven’t spoken to me since the South Africa trip that I went on and didn’t play.”And yes, that has hurt. I’m not going to lie to you, especially, in the white-ball format. I’m an ambitious player. You shouldn’t play for Notts if you don’t want to play for England in my opinion. Putting on that England shirt… it means everything to me.”I have thought about picking up the phone, but there’s only one winner there. It won’t go down well if I pick up the phone. The only way I can get back in is by putting in performances like today.”I’d be disappointed if they didn’t watch that. It should have put my name back in the shop window.”Coming to the crease with Nottinghamshire in trouble at 30 for 3, Patel made an unbeaten 65 – his third half-century this season – to lead his side to a total of 190. He was also second on the Nottinghamshire averages when they won the Royal London One-Day Cup – 67.37 with two centuries and three half-centuries – and has scored more runs (824 at an average of 68.66) than anyone else in their Championship campaign. Based on that, his suggestion that he is, aged 32, playing better cricket in all formats seems well founded.”I know my game much more now,” he said. “I’m a different player. The tempo of my batting has improved this year. Class will always show.”Don’t even count me out of Test cricket. I know I’m ready. If the selectors ring me, I’m ready.”Meanwhile Ashley Giles, the Warwickshire director of sport, expressed his “pride” in his new-look Birmingham side and suggested they will be able to build on their recent success next year. In particular, he celebrated the progress made by his young top-order – three of whom have come into the side during the campaign – and their success in reaching the final in what is clearly a transitional season.”I’m proud that we got close and think there are some really good signs for us,” Giles said. “The four guys at the top of the order have come in and done really good things. I’m proud we’ve been able to make that transition.”There was no fear in the way we played. We need to continue in that mode. The game is moving that way.”So yes, this will change the way we play 50-over cricket. We are playing a more modern game now and we’ve seen the more successful sides – Notts and Surrey, for example – just take it on. We’ve got to be prepared to do that.”You look at the way Ed Pollock played in the semi-final. He batted beautifully. I just hope he keeps batting in the same way. With experience and baggage people tend to change. I hope he just keeps playing with that freedom.”

Chelsea have an "interest" in signing Crystal Palace's exciting winger Michael Olise this summer, but the move might not be feasible, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Michael Olise joining Chelsea this summer?

As it is every year, Stamford Bridge has once again become a hub of transfer activity.

Unusually, the West Londoners have actually done more selling than buying this year, with a raft of players leaving the club one after another last month. Still, with that sorted, their attention seems to be back firmly on incomings.

So far, the only significant signings for the Blues have been striker Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal, Angelo Gabriel from Santos, and Diego Moreira from Benfica.

Christoper Nkunku has also officially joined the club, but the deal to sign him from RB Leipzig was agreed back in 2022.

Even with all of these attacking signings, the Pensioners are now keen to sign Palace's young star Olise, who was a part of the Chelsea academy system as a youth player.

According to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, the West Londoners have submitted a €45m (£39m) bid to secure the youngster's signature, which is £4m more than his release clause.

The Daily Mail have reported that Chelsea are willing to pay more than required to ensure Manchester City don't sign him, who the publication claim are also interested.

What has Dean Jones said about Michael Olise and Chelsea?

Jones explained that the player should be incredibly familiar to the Blues as he came up through their youth set-up, but that a deal seems unlikely at the moment as he isn't sure where the opportunity to sign him will come from.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "They have interest in Olise, but what we need to gauge next is just how feasible the move is going to be.

"He's a player that came through Chelsea's youth set-up, so the player profiling and understanding of his background is all taken care of. But will the opportunity to sign him actually open up here?"

How good is Michael Olise?

Despite making 12 starts in the Premier League for Palace in the 2021/22 season, it was last year that Olise, who was labelled as "outrageous", truly established himself as a top-flight quality player and put himself on the radar of every major club in the country.

In his 31 starts for the South Londoners last season, he scored two goals, provided 11 assists, earnt himself five Man-of-the-Match awards and achieved an average match rating of 6.99, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are even more impressive and, considering they have come in a side that was famously goal-shy for much of last season, suggesting that he could go stratospheric if he got a regular run of games in a top-four side.

And, he even broke a record for being the youngest player to ever assist three goals from open play in a Premier League game.

According to FBref, who compare players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Hammersmith-born dynamo sits in the top 7% for assists, the top 11% for blocks, the top 14% for interceptions, the top 15% for tackles and expected assists, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, and the top 22% for attempted passes, all per 90.

Described as "sensational" by broadcaster Ade Oladipo and a "joy to watch" by former professional turned Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison if Chelsea can get this deal over the line, it would represent brilliant business.

The bans handed out by SLC to the 22 players implicated in the Tier B match-manipulation case will be lifted, pending the result of an appeal process

Madushka Balasuriya01-Oct-2017The bans handed out by SLC to the 22 players implicated in the Tier B match-manipulation case will be lifted, pending the result of an appeal process.Players of Panadura Sports Club and Kalutara Physical Culture Club were last month banned for one year from all cricketing activities for their supposed role in manipulating the result of a Tier B first-class match in January – captains Chamara Silva and Manoj Deshapriya receiving two-year bans. However, upon receiving complaints from the two clubs, SLC has commenced a formal appeals process, and temporarily climbed down from the original punishments.The three-member appeals committee is expected to return with their final verdict in two to four weeks, until which time the players of Panadura and Kalutara are free to resume cricketing activities.Although some players had themselves lodged formal complaints, it is the clubs who were instrumental in persuading SLC to begin an appeals process. The fallout from the initial verdict saw Silva, along with his team-mates, seek out legal representation, as well as distance themselves from Panadura SC. Silva has claimed that he was never given an adequate opportunity, or even informed, to come speak before the original inquiry panel – something SLC contests – and has since called for a fresh inquiry into the allegations.A lawyer, speaking on behalf of the players of Panadura SC, stated that while his clients would be willing to speak before an appeal committee, they would still continue to call for a fresh inquiry. Accepting an appeal committee, he said, would be akin to accepting the original verdict.The exact scope of the appointed appeal committee is somewhat unclear, however. While a traditional appeal committee would merely be expected to review already existing evidence, this new committee is actively pursuing fresh evidence from the players of the clubs. As such, it bears resemblance to a fresh inquiry.SLC also stated that, should they so wish, the committee could even request ‘special powers’ from the board to interview individuals that may be implicated in the course of the appeals process. If this turns out to be the case, it would be a significant departure from the stance of the original inquiry panel, which did not see fit to investigate any individuals apart from those who had charges laid against them – ie. the players – during the course of its seven-month investigation.To further complicate the issue, Sri Lanka’s sports ministry may also launch a parallel inquiry, though an official announcement is yet to be made.

Leicester City kick off their 2023/24 Championship campaign with a game against Coventry City at the King Power on Sunday and supporters could see a number of fresh faces in action.

Who have Leicester City signed this summer?

The Foxes have reacted to their relegation from the Premier League by making five new signings to refresh the squad during the summer transfer window.

Enzo Maresca, who replaced interim head coach Dean Smith, has brought in Harry Winks, Stephy Mavididi, Conor Coady, and Mads Hermasen on permanent deals, whilst central defender Callum Doyle has arrived on loan from Manchester City.

These additions have been funded by the sales of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, who have returned to the top-flight with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United respectively.

This means that the Foxes have lost their two top scorers from last season as the departed pair – who both hit double figures in the Premier League – were the only players with more than five strikes to their name.

Maresca could now add some much-needed firepower to partner Mavididi in attack by securing a swoop to sign reported transfer target Joel Piroe from Swansea, who have valued the centre-forward at around £15m.

How good is Joel Piroe?

The Dutch marksman is a proven Championship goalscorer who could be the focal point of the head coach's forward line and a dream ace for the ex-Arsenal winger to play alongside.

Mavididi is a wide forward who has the potential to be an excellent scorer for the Foxes and he could be lethal alongside Piroe this season if the club can bring the Swans star to the King Power.

The English wizard only found the back of the net four times in 26 Ligue 1 games last season but that came after the 25-year-old gem produced 17 goals in the French top-flight across the previous two campaigns combined.

None of Leicester's current players, now that Maddison and Barnes have moved on, scored more than five league goals last term and Mavididi, who registered at least eight in two of his three years with Montpellier, could be Maresca's outstanding goalscoring option out wide if he rediscovers his best form.

Piroe, meanwhile, is coming off the back of two sublime seasons in the Championship with Swansea and could be the Foxes' main man for goals if he can translate his performances over to the King Power.

The 24-year-old dynamo, who was once hailed as a "danger man" by journalist Josh Bunting, scored 19 times in 43 league outings last season, which came after 22 in 45 during the previous term.

This means that the £15m-rated sensation has scored at least 14 more goals than any current Leicester player managed in the 2022/23 campaign in both of the last two years.

Piroe could, therefore, be a phenomenal signing for Maresca as his statistics indicate that he has the quality to be the club's top-scorer this season in the Championship, as the prolific Dutchman has proven himself to be a clinical finisher at this level.

The current Swans star and Mavididi could be a lethal pairing at the top end of the pitch if they click together as they are both capable of being terrific scorers for their respective positions and could strike fear into opposition defences week-in-week-out.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has shared an update on West Ham United's transfer plans as they eye a marquee striker signing for manager David Moyes.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Irons officially confirmed their first major signing of the summer in Mexico international Edson Alvarez earlier this week, who now wears the number 19 shirt following his multi-million pound move from Ajax.

Partly due to the drawn-out saga surrounding former star midfielder Declan Rice, who eventually completed a £105 million switch to north London, West Ham were made to wait for their first piece of summer business.

James Ward-Prowse has also joined from Southampton, as the Hammers finally get up and moving.

Journalist Dean Jones, though, speaking to GiveMeSport recently, said that the Hammers could bring in as many as five new additions in total before deadline day.

"It feels like a good opportunity West Ham could take advantage of," said Jones on their links to Chelsea midfielder Trevoh Chalobah.

"I think he could actually survive at Chelsea, just about, but I also think he has bigger aspirations than that, and I’ve heard he has been open to listening to new opportunities.

"We’re looking at a massive month ahead for the Hammers, they will sign five players and have to find a way to make this all add up so they have a much stronger squad."

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Replacing striker Gianluca Scamacca, who recently departed for Serie A side Atalanta after just one season, is another task to solve for Moyes, transfer chief Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble.

According to reporter O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, West Ham will "next prioritise the signing of a marquee striker" – with a "well-placed source" telling him they're scouring Europe and South America for options.

However, West Ham are also considering Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who has found his way on to their radar this summer following an exceptional loan spell at Reims last season.

How good is Folarin Balogun?

The young striker enjoyed a standout breakthrough campaign at Reims over 2022/2023, scoring a brilliant 21 goals and raising his price tag exponentially.

There have been suggestions that Arsenal could charge as much as £50 million for the services of Balogun, a price which may well be considered steep when taking into account his lack of English top flight experience.

However, the 22-year-old has been praised by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who called his forward a "really committed" and special player.

"I’m so happy for him,” Arteta said on Balogun's form last season.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.

“We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract and have faith in him and give him the long period that he needs now, because the loan he is having now is really different to the one he had before at Middlesbrough."

Ahead of the second T20I against Australia, Kuldeep Yadav acknowledged the role Australian wristspinners Shane Warne and Brad Hogg had in shaping his young career

Arun Venugopal in Guwahati09-Oct-20172:29

Why wristspinners are dominating in limited-overs formats

Right from the time Kuldeep Yadav switched from pace bowling to wristspin as a young boy, he has idolised Shane Warne. Every time he feels something is wrong with his bowling, he revisits footage of Warne bowling in the 2005 Ashes. Because there were so few left-arm wristspinners when he started, Kuldeep would attempt to study Warne’s action closely.As Kuldeep climbed the rungs of professional cricket, he found fellow left-arm wristspinner Brad Hogg, a Kolkata Knight Riders team-mate who became a friend and guide. In fact Hogg, now 46, has asked Kuldeep, only 22, to get in touch on Skype if he wants to discuss something.Warne recently posted a couple of tweets that’s certain to have thrilled Kuldeep. He mentioned how enjoyable it was to watch Kuldeep “cause confusion, even against Oz [Australia]”, and also that Kuldeep could challenge Yasir Shah as the best legspinner in the world if he remained patient.”They are very important to me,” Kuldeep said of Warne and Hogg’s role in his development. “Warne is my idol and I have always followed him from childhood. If I become 50% of what he is, my life is successful. I keep talking to him. I’ve been with Brad Hogg for two years at KKR. Even now I keep talking to him.”[It is] very important to keep talking to such senior players. They’re legends in their field. If you gain even some experience from them, then your career will benefit.”Apart from learning the mental side of the job, Kuldeep also picked up a few technical tips from the Australian spinners. “Obviously, from Warne, his wrist work, his flight and drift to deceive whichever batsmen … it is very important,” he said. “If I become a little successful in doing that, it’s great for me. From Hogg, because I’m a chinaman [bowler] and he is one too, you can learn a lot. He has the flipper or wrong’un. I think he’s 46 now, so a 23-year-old long career. So it feels good to learn a lot from that kind of experience. This is just the start of my career, the small things I can pick up will be very useful.”Kuldeep Yadav celebrates after dismissing Aaron Finch•Associated PressAmong contemporaries, Kuldeep has forged a booming partnership with legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. They are two of India’s most recent success stories, and together they accounted for 13 wickets in the ODI series against Australia. Kuldeep and Chahal were also responsible for throwing Australia off course in the first T20I in Ranchi, as India restricted them to 118. Having known each other for five years, Kuldeep and Chahal are invariably always on the same page.”Actually, we have quite a good partnership,” Kuldeep said. “Chahal and I have played together. It’s very easy to understand what his plans are, what my plans are. It’s easy on the ground, we talk about how the wicket is and how it behaves. Even in the games, we bowl in partnerships, you can see its impact.”So, what kind of conversation does the pair have? “It depends on the wickets. I talk a lot about wickets [the surface],” Kuldeep said. “Even with Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] bhai. I ask Chahal also what is happening on the wicket – If the wicket is turning, or if it’s skidding through while bowling. These discussions keep happening. We keep thinking about batsmen, how they are playing and what their plans may be. These discussions are useful for me and the team.”With wristspinners being the flavour of the season, Kuldeep was asked if he and Chahal had taken over from R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as the team’s lead spinners. “I don’t think so much [about replacing Ashwin and Jadeja],” he said. ” and have done very well for India in Tests and ODIs. They’ve been doing so. We are very young and have plenty of cricket to play.”While still young – Kuldeep has played only one Test, 11 ODIs and three T20Is – his early success has caught attention. Even Virat Kohli reckoned that Kuldeep was difficult to pick. Kuldeep was pragmatic about how teams might read his bowling better over the years, but said that as long as his fundamentals were sound he would always be among the wickets.”Look, for me, it doesn’t matter if someone is trying to look at you and pick you,” he said. “If you bowl in the good areas and your variations are good, you can bowl in a spot. And if you can beat someone in the air, you can see as many videos as you want. I am no mystery bowler that I’m doing tricks with the hand. Obviously, it becomes easy after two-three years. Then they’ll pick you after playing you a while.”As long as your basics are fine, your alignment and accuracy is good, it is easier [to take wickets]. In T20s, you can always take wickets. If you keep bowling in good areas, the batsmen are obviously trying to hit you. So, it is easy to pick up wickets. But at the same time, your basics need to be good and you should not worry about what the batsmen are planning.”