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Aston Villa could be set to lose one of their first-team stars next year, with a fresh report revealing that he has been made a top target by one of his admirers.

Aston Villa transfer news – Dendoncker, Traore, Langlet

The Premier League outfit sanctioned the permanent sales of Cameron Archer, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Marvelous Nakamba, Keinan Davis, Ashley Young and Wesley Moraes over the summer, whilst sending Philippe Coutinho, Morgan Sanson and Viljami Sinisalo on loan for the remainder of the season.

As per Football Insider, Unai Emery is open to offers for Leander Dendoncker and Bertrand Traore, whilst Barcelona could consider recalling Clement Lenglet in the new year because they are unhappy with his lack of game time, so those three could also be heading for the exit door in January.

However, Douglas Luiz is additionally one of those on the chopping block having recently attracted interest from La Liga side Atletico Madrid, not to mention the fact that the central midfielder has been a long-term target of top-flight rivals Arsenal.

The Brazil international has established himself as the manager’s best-performing offensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Aston Villa statistics), and the 25-year-old’s form has now brought him back onto the radar of Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal set sights on Douglas Luiz

According to Brazilian outlet UOL (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are plotting a swoop for Douglas Luiz in January. The Gunners have “turned their attention” towards the talisman and are now “more focused” on signing him than Fluminense’s Andre, who was previously a primary target.

The Emirates Stadium side are “particularly keen” on Aston Villa’s fan favourite, but it’s not stated what fee it would take to prise him away, and that’s if he was put on the market by NSWE and Monchi at all.

Being a central midfielder, Luiz is capable of making a positive impact at both ends of the pitch, starting with defensively where he’s currently averaging 2.4 tackles per game in the Premier League (WhoScored -Luiz statistics), highlighting his desire to get stuck into challenges and win back possession for his team.

The Rio De Janeiro native, though, has arguably been stronger offensively so far this season having clocked up six involvements, five goals and one assist, in 11 appearances in the top-flight (Transfermarkt – Luiz statistics).

Furthermore, Emery’s £75k-per-week earner (Aston Villa salaries), has the versatility to operate in defensive, central and attacking midfield, so his ability to provide cover in two other positions outside of his own makes him a very useful option for the boss to have in the building.

Therefore, Luiz being a “pivotal” member of the squad, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, means that Villa chiefs need to do everything they can to fend off interest and retain the services of their star man beyond the upcoming transfer window as well as next summer if possible.

Roberto De Zerbi has been tipped to be a candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp, however, a former Liverpool star has explained why it won't happen.

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Klopp set to leave LiverpoolDe Zerbi linked with move to AnfieldEx-star says Italian won't be hiredWHAT HAPPENED?

With Klopp set to leave the Merseyside club at the end of the season after a nine-year-long stint, the biggest question has been set as to who will replace the German at the helm of the club. While Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso seemed to be the first choice, his declaration to remain with the German club has now pointed towards options such as Sporting's Ruben Amorim and the Brighton boss. However, former Reds star Mark Lawrenson has explained why the Anfield hierarchy will not sign De Zerbi.

AdvertisementGetty WHAT LAWRENSON SAID

Speaking to Paddy Power, the former Liverpool star said: "We've seen how much money they’ve made this year. I thought Roberto De Zerbi was a bit naughty last week, saying he wants more players. Brighton gave him his big gig, and he’s done very, very well. But once you go down that route of asking for more players, and maybe his agent is speaking to other clubs, I don’t think Liverpool will go anywhere near him.

"He’s a good manager, but I think he is getting carried away – Brighton haven’t had a particularly good season. He’s not dealt with the extra games and blamed it on not having enough players. De Zerbi won’t go to Liverpool, and he might’ve put one or two prospective club owners off him. Brighton are a well-run club – they got £22 million for Graham Potter and his backroom staff. They’ll just get another manager in – and being run the way that they are, they probably know who their next manager is."

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Klopp and Liverpool are still alive in their desire to win the Premier League in the German coach's last season. They currently sit atop the league with a two-point buffer to Arsenal and are three points ahead of Manchester City. With just eight matches remaining, the Reds will put all efforts towards the league and the Europa League.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

The Reds will likely make their decision on the next manager at the club, the onus will stand on De Zerbi to prove his worth with Brighton, if he wants to remain the man of interest for Liverpool.

For the first time in two tours of India, West Indies finally made India take the second new ball

The Report by Sidharth Monga12-Oct-2018For the first time in two tours of India, West Indies finally made India take the second new ball. Well into their third innings of this series, West Indies finally found a method to bat. Not surprisingly Roston Chase, who helped them save a Test against India in the West Indies, led the way, with the returning captain Jason Holder making the second-biggest contribution. The two added 104 for the seventh wicket to take West Indies to 295 for 7 at stumps, their first score of 250 in four Tests in India, all played in good batting conditions.Chase and Holder – and briefly Shai Hope and Shane Dowrich – showed faith in their defence, which showed they finally batted normally: keep the good balls out, look to alternate strike and punish the bad balls. Before that, batsmen unsure of their defence, unable to read Kuldeep Yadav out of his hand, batted in a much more predetermined way: either ultra-aggressive or ultra-defensive irrespective of the kind of bowling. A simple contrast showed in how they took 84 singles in this innings as against 73 in both the innings put together in Rajkot. Only 30 of Chase’s unbeaten 98 runs came in boundaries.It didn’t start that well for them. Well, for a brief while it did. Holder was back, the toss was won, Umesh Yadav was loose, debutant Shardul Thakur hobbled off with a groin injury, and West Indies were off to a flier. However, Kieran Powell, Shimron Hetmyer and Sunil Ambris failed to make use of good batting conditions. They were up against a good bowling attack, but they didn’t make them bowl enough good balls.Powell attacked almost everything eventually getting beaten in the flight and still going through with an aerial shot against Ashwin, who bowled a tight spell of 10.2 overs with the new ball for just seven runs.That control gave Kuldeep Yadav the freedom to go through his bag of tricks. When you are not picking his wrong ‘un and the other bowler is not giving away anything, you don’t stand much chance against a wristspinner with variations.After scoring eight runs in the first over, Brathwaite had added six off a further 60 balls when Kuldeep slipped in a wrong ‘un. Brathwaite didn’t pick it out of the hand, and edged it safely. The next one was the stock ball, turning back in, but Brathwaite’s uncertain bat stayed outside its line, setting up a plumb lbw. Hetmyer didn’t even make Kuldeep go to the second part of his trick as he padded up to a wrong ‘un, leaving the umpire with an easy lbw decision. Ambris was even more shaky, and tried to hit out, offering cover an easy catch off a wrong ‘un.At 113 for 5, West Indies were staring at another quick end to their innings. Chase and Dowrich, though, trusted themselves to bat the normal way. The singles started to come as did the bad balls. They added 69, but as he had done with a settled Shai Hope before lunch, Umesh came back to get rid of Dowrich just before tea. Umesh, again, showed he was much more comfortable bowling with the old ball, reversing it in towards the middle stump, trapping both of them lbw in their 30s.Chase, at the other end, was well embedded by now. The first time India managed to beat him, to draw a false shot out of him, was when Umesh reversed one past his inside edge. Chase was 50 off 80 balls at that time. Even this ball did managed to sneak past because it swung too much and would have missed the leg stump. He ended the day with a 94% control rate. Holder provided him excellent support at the other end. Both used their reach to smother balls, and were equally quick to rock back if the spinners lowered the trajectory.As the partnership went past 100 and stumps approached, there was faint hope that West Indies could be competitive in this Test if they could come back and bat another session on the second morning. Umesh had other ideas. About six overs before stumps, he got Holder caught down the leg side with a bouncer. After all the optimism around Chase’s batting, this was reminder West Indies were in all probability headed for another underwhelming total against a side that crossed 600 in their last innings in these conditions.

The manager has many admirers for his work with underdogs in Spain and England and should be on INEOS' shortlist to succeed struggling Erik ten Hag

There is a revolution in European football, and it's being led by Basque coaches. The Basque Country has long had a rich footballing heritage but right now one province in particular, Gipuzkoa, is responsible for producing some of the best tacticians on the continent.

Xabi Alonso is on the brink of leading Bayer Leverkusen to a first-ever Bundesliga title, becoming the first team to break Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the German top flight all while remaining unbeaten. In England, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are top of the Premier League and within striking distance of the Champions League semi-finals. And Aston Villa, under the guidance of Unai Emery, are close to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever.

Basque coaches are not just doing well abroad, they are flying the flag in their own region too. Imanol Alguacil has been working wonders with Real Sociedad for several years, winning the Copa del Rey in 2021 and taking them to the Champions League knockout stage this season. And in the neighbouring Basque province of Vizcaya, Ernesto Valverde has just guided Athletic Club to a cup win – their first trophy in 40 years.

As Manchester United look for candidates to succeed Erik ten Hag after a truly dismal season, they might want to look at the continent's hotbed of coaching talent. The time is ripe to join the Basque coaching revolution and Andoni Iraola, whose Bournemouth side take on the Red Devils on Saturday, would be a fascinating candidate to take charge at Old Trafford.

GettyAdmired by Guardiola, Klopp & Barca

The 41-year-old has got Bournemouth punching way above their weight and earlier this season he orchestrated United's joint-heaviest defeat of the season.

Iraola has not yet been properly linked with the Old Trafford hotseat but he has been put on the shortlist at another prestigious club on the lookout for a new manager, with Barcelona considering him as a successor to Xavi Hernandez. And United should also be looking at the man Jurgen Klopp, Eddie Howe and Pep Guardiola have all lavished praise on amid an outstanding debut season in England.

Iraola was under pressure from the start when he was appointed successor to Gary O'Neil, who was sacked last summer despite steering Bournemouth to safety. But the club's American owner Bill Foley wanted a more ambitious coach and made a bet on the former Athletic Club and New York City full-back.

Iraola had been previously approached by Leeds United and had worked miracles with the ramshackle Rayo Vallecano in Spain, including masterminding three wins over Barcelona and a victory against Real Madrid.

He had considerable teething problems as Bournemouth failed to win any of their opening nine games while losing six times, including being beaten by O'Neil's Wolves. But Iraola just needed a little more time before everything clicked, with Bournemouth winning seven of their next nine games to soar clear of the relegation zone.

AdvertisementGetty Laying siege to Old Trafford

And the most impressive win of all came at Old Trafford, when the Cherries destroyed United 3-0 in December, inflicting the joint-heaviest defeat on the Red Devils this season along with treble winners Manchester City. It would have been the biggest had Dango Ouattara's late goal not been harshly ruled out by VAR.

The knives were out for Ten Hag after the game and it could be argued that he would not have survived the debacle had the club not been in limbo at the time with its strategic review then still unresolved.

But Bournemouth deserved huge credit for the way they took United apart with a masterful gameplan devised by Iraola based on a high defensive line and targeted pressing. And that was when the Premier League's biggest names began to sit up and take notice.

"I didn't know much about him but I really had time to admire them and what he's doing there. They had a difficult start but they turned it around, wow, that's real coaching," Klopp said in January. "He found a way to set this team up they have a really good mix, they play football in a fine direction. They're really good, really compact. That's proper."

Guardiola described Bournemouth as "completely alive, aggressive, and well organised" before City's trip to the Vitality Stadium in February and after the champions came through a testing final 15 minutes to win 1-0, he called his players "supermen".

(C)GettyImagesOn INEOS' wavelength

Bournemouth have the fifth-lowest wage bill in the Premier League but under Iraola they sit in 12th, six places and eight points below United, who reportedly pay the highest wages in England. And that's why INEOS should be taking a look at the forward-thinking Basque coach.

Minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear that he does not think the solution to United's many problems is to make more lavish signings, talking of the need to "walk to the right solution, not run to the wrong one". He has been plotting ways to save the club money and given United are teetering on the edge of the limits of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules, especially as they are set to miss out on the Champions League, cutbacks will need to be made across the squad.

Iraola has a track record for achieving a lot with a little and he could help United thrive with fewer resources. He also fits the mould for the model INEOS want to build, which envisages the coach only focusing on working with the players on the pitch and leaving recruitment to incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.

Iraola is a studious coach who loves to observe other teams and styles. He has developed a friendship with Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who came to watch his Rayo side train while he was on a sabbatical. He is also immersed in modern coaching technologies. He loves using 'Media Coach', a match data analytics and visualisation platform designed by La Liga, and laments the lack of an equivalent programme in England.

He has always kept a close eye on Bournemouth's physical data and the fact he knew his players were in good shape and could cope with his style of play allowed him to persist with his tactics in the knowledge they would soon pay off.

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GettyMore impressive than Potter

Iraola's thirst for knowledge and self-improvement would also chime with INEOS' outlook. Director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford used data forensically while in charge of INEOS Grenadiers cycling team and its predecessor Team Sky and he and the other directors of Nice unearthed current coach Francesco Farioli after mining the data on his work in the Turkish Super Lig.

Brailsford is also reported to be a keen admirer of Graham Potter due to his scientific approach to coaching. Potter was a coach in the ascendancy until he took over at Chelsea, a club that in the last few years has proved just as unmanageable as United.

His ill-fated tenure at Stamford Bridge does not seem to have affected his standing at INEOS, and he is still in demand on the strength of his achievements with Brighton. But Iraola's record in less than a season with Bournemouth is even more impressive than Potter's work while on the south coast.

Brighton finished 15th in Potter's debut season after he succeeded Chris Hughton, then 16th, before coming ninth in his third. Bournemouth are already two points better off than they were at the end of last season and have seven games left. A top 10 finish is easily within reach, while a late push for European football cannot be ruled out. If INEOS are considering Potter for the Old Trafford dugout, then they should also be casting their eye over Iraola.

Kieran McKenna utilised his past connections with Manchester United wisely in the summer transfer window, the signing of Brandon Williams on loan proving to be a stroke of genius with the 23-year-old excelling in an Ipswich Town strip.

The expansive full-back has scored two goals from ten games under McKenna in his new surroundings, including a crucial late goal away at Huddersfield to secure a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw back in September.

Missing the last few contests for Ipswich owing to illness, the Ipswich boss will hope he can strike gold again in this upcoming transfer window when it comes to loanees in the building to bolster his squad as they venture into the crunch months to come in the promotion race.

Here are three loan signings Ipswich could potentially try to pull off this January, in the hopes of replicating the success story of Williams…

1 GK – Jamie Cumming

Ipswich could well look to acquire a new goalkeeper in this upcoming January transfer window, to fix the lack of clean sheets present at Portman Road over the last couple of contests – the Tractor Boys conceding a whopping nine goals from their four matches played so far in November, last completing an effective shut-out in a 1-0 away win at Bristol City towards the end of last month.

McKenna could look to Jamie Cumming to solve these issues, an experienced goalkeeper figure at 24 years of age who has amassed 145 games away from parent club Chelsea at a number of loan clubs in the EFL.

Last season, the 6 foot 2 goalkeeper was everpresent at MK Dons in all 46 league contests, keeping 11 clean sheets in total.

If Ipswich need a short-term option in between the sticks, this Chelsea shot-stopper could be their man.

2 CB – Kaelan Casey

Ipswich could look to add faces in defence this January too, a leaky backline often bailed out by the Tractor Boys in attack thankfully. Yet, this gung-ho approach might not be sustainable.

McKenna could use the loan market effectively to add freshness in at the heart of defence therefore and West Ham's Kaelan Casey could well be the young recruit he fancies.

The 19-year-old, who is also captain now of the West Ham U21s, is developing into a top talent for the youthful Hammers – even scoring this season versus Leeds U21s whilst wearing the armband, before reverting back to his usual centre-back duties.

Yet to be loaned away from West Ham, a move to Ipswich could be a fantastic learning curve for the young defender with the Tractor Boys also gaining a new body to help out an erratic defence.

3 LW – Charles Sagoe Jr

McKenna could also be tempted to add another exciting attacker to his ranks in the form of Charles Sagoe Jr, the Arsenal youngster just one of many up-and-coming talents emerging from the Emirates.

Sagoe Jr would slot straight into the set-up at the Tractor Boys, an attacker who can score goals but also prides himself on being able to create and provide assists too.

It's been evident in Ipswich's overall game this season that the goals are shared out amongst a deadly attacking unit, the likes of Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin scoring a combined 12 goals but have also chipped in with a helpful six assists in all competitions.

The 19-year-old Arsenal attacker has managed to score once this season in Premier League 2, whilst notching up an impressive five assists in seven contests – three of those assists coming against the Man Utd U21's, Sagoe Jr a crucial presence on the day to steer Arsenal to a 4-2 victory.

It's even led to him making his senior debut recently against Brentford in the EFL Cup, Sagoe Jr ready now for a Championship loan.

On the fifth day in Kandy, Sri Lanka lost their last three wickets for 17 runs to concede a 57-run win to the visitors

The Report by George Dobell in Kandy18-Nov-2018A five-wicket haul from Jack Leach has helped England secure a 57-run victory over Sri Lanka in Kandy to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. This is England’s first series win in Asia since the 2012 victory over India and the first in Sri Lanka since 2001 besides being their first series win away from home since they defeated South Africa three years ago.When play resumed on the fifth day, Sri Lanka were seven down and required 75 runs for a series-levelling victory. For the first 15 minutes or so, Sri Lanka progressed smoothly enough as England put their trust in left-arm spinner Jack Leach and offspinner Moeen Ali. Niroshan Dickwella, the senior batsman remaining, picked up singles with the sweep, while Akila Dananjaya survived one mis-hit over cover.But then Moeen, giving the ball some air, lured the left-handed Dickwella into a push outside the off stump. With the delivery dipping and turning sharply off the pitch, Dickwella could only edge the ball to the safe hands of Ben Stokes at slip. Two deliveries later Moeen bowled Suranga Lakmal with a beauty that again drew a forward prod only to turn sharply between bat and pad. It left Sri Lanka’s final pair requiring 61 runs.Jack Leach wrapped up victory with his maiden five-wicket haul•Getty ImagesThat was always an unlikely ask and, barely half an hour after the start of play, Malinda Pushpakumara pushed a catch back to Leach. It was a tame end to a compelling match.While Joe Root’s century was probably the key ingredient in the victory, England spinners also enjoyed a fine game. England’s trio of spinners claimed all 10 second-innings dismissals with Leach claiming a maiden five-wicket haul in his third Test. Moeen finished with 4 for 72. In all, England’s spinners – including Joe Root – claimed 19 wickets, with the other falling to a run-out.

Erling Haaland got smacked on his face accidentally by the referee during the Champions League clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City.

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Haaland got smacked on the face by the refereeFailed to perform yet again in a big gameMan City held to a 3-3 draw by RealWHAT HAPPENED?

The Cityzens star delivered yet another poor performance in a big game against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final fixture at Santiago Bernabeu. At half-time when Haaland was walking off the pitch, the referee accidentally smacked the striker in the face while he was trying to explain something to Dani Carvajal.

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The Norwegian took 20 touches during the match but had only one shot on target. He failed to score or assist in the six-goal thriller and did not complete a single dribble. Los Blancos' Antonio Rudiger did a commendable job in keeping the Man City danger man under lock and key.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

Pep Guardiola's side will be back in action in the Premier League during the weekend as they take Luton Town at home on Saturday, before the second leg against Real next week.

Newcastle United have struggled to compete on all fronts so far this season due to both a lack of squad depth and their injury misfortunes. Eddie Howe may look back on the summer transfer window with great regret, having clearly failed to welcome enough reinforcements. Meanwhile, the biggest addition that he did sign was Sandro Tonali, who is now banned for ten months due to breaching betting rules. As the festive period approaches too, they may find it harder than ever to maintain their form in both the Premier League and other competitions.

The January transfer window will feel like a late Christmas present for those at St James' Park, who could finally see certain issues solved. And that could include adding depth to one position that so desperately needs it amid a reported lack of faith in one specific player.

Newcastle United transfer news

At the end of the summer transfer window, one problem that immediately stood out at Newcastle was their lack of central defenders. Yet, as the season has progressed, another concern has emerged in Howe's attacking options, with just Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak to call on when it comes to leading the line for the Magpies.

According to Dean Jones, Newcastle don't trust Isak's ability to stay fit and are now looking into the idea of signing a striker in the January transfer window. Jones told the Chasing Green Arrows Podcast: “I know there are concerns at Newcastle at the moment about whether they need to sign a new forward in January because of Isak and Wilson. They can’t be undone by this, it would be gutting for them if they didn’t have another option.

“They really will contemplate going after another attacking option, it will probably be a versatile one that can play wide as well, Isak is a great option to go wide as well, but I don’t think they trust Isak to stay fit between now and the end of the season which is probably wise.”

Alexander Isak's injury history

PIF and Newcastle are right in their concern over their striker's ability to stay fit. Isak's injury history does not make for pretty reading and the Swede has already missed six games in the current campaign, leaving Wilson as the only forward available. Wilson's injury history isn't exactly great, either, and he's also already missed six games this season. If the Magpies don't sign another forward, they are simply playing a game of chance when it comes to whether or not they'll have a striker available.

Player

Games missed through injury since beginning of 2022/23

Alexander Isak

22

Callum Wilson

15

In total, Isak and Wilson have missed a combined 37 games since last season, which is one game away from an entire campaign. Given their European exploits, Newcastle must add depth to their frontline. The last thing that Howe needs is to run the risk of being without a natural striker when playing at such a high level. It could make or break the Magpies' top four pursuit.

The West Indies allrounder lit up the first night of the Women’s World T20, but she isn’t close to being done

Melinda Farrell in Guyana10-Nov-2018Most players don’t like to reveal individual goals. It puts too much on the line, raises expectations and lays a marker; anything short of reaching it can too conveniently be deemed as ‘failure’.But Deandra Dottin is refreshingly upfront, if economical with words. So, still sporting the sweat that bore witness to her career- and tournament-best figures of 5 for 5 against Bangladesh, she chuckled and calmly revealed she plans to score two centuries during this tournament, to add to the brace already in her locker. Not one, but two.”I have two more coming for sure,” she told reporters. Two more coming for this tournament? “Yes, please.”Dottin was the first woman to score a T20 international century, against South Africa during the 2010 edition of the World T20. She did it in just 38 balls. It wasn’t just a lightbulb moment for the women’s game, it was a supernova: Oh guess what? Women can play a power game.And while many were – rightly – in raptures over Harmanpreet Kaur’s brilliant century in India’s opening match against New Zealand, it’s worth remembering that Dottin reached that milestone in 11 fewer balls.On a marathon first day of the WT20 that started with the blinding batting of Kaur, it was Dottin’s bowling that provided the fireworks at night to go with the drum beats that rumbled around Providence. In a way that reflected the conditions and the reality of playing three international T20s on one pitch, batting became progressively difficult during the day as the pitch wore and the humidity and lights became factors.Deandra Dottin’s juggling act after an impressive show with the ball•International Cricket CouncilBut Dottin’s performance was as much about using her natural abilities as it was about exploiting the conditions. After Bangladesh’s bowlers had restricted the defending champions to 106, there was little room for error in the West Indies bowling attack.Dottin had been promoted to open the batting – reflecting West Indies recent sluggishness in the Powerplay – but she became Jahanara Alam’s second victim when she misjudged a cut shot and was well caught by a diving Fahima Khatun. She decided to use that as motivation; if she could no longer win the match with the bat then she could still do it with the ball.The allrounder has a relatively short run-up that belies the power she generates; she was regularly touching 75 miles per hour on a pitch that was at its most sluggish.”We’ve been working a lot on sprinting and moving fast, running between the wickets and stuff, our turns and those quick steps,” Dottin said. “But for me, I’ve been putting in a lot of extra work, doing a lot of running and a lot more sprints.”I think it’s having a big input on my bowling, as well.”Dottin beat the Bangladesh batsmen for pace and fooled them with subtle movement; four of her five wickets came from the ball clattering into the stumps. The Bangladesh batsmen, sometimes lacking in foot movement and defensive technique, had no answers.She has two main expressions: one, a glowering frown of a glare, was evident when she was out for just eight runs. The other, a joyful and gleaming metallic grin burst through a little brighter with each of her wickets. When she took her fifth, she broke out into a dance with her team-mates, “Just a crazy dance that we all made up off of a song called ‘Level Up,’ she explained after the match.To what extent Dottin will continue to level up in this tournament remains to be seen. She has already bowled what she regards the best T20I spell of her extensive career (only two players in this competition – Jennie Gunn and Suzie Bates – have played more matches).”Well, I rate this one as one of the top performances I’ve had,” said Dottin. “Most of the performances I’ve had in the past were with the bat, but coming through with the ball is very tremendous.”And, if Dottin ticks off her goal of notching two centuries in the next couple of weeks, it won’t be just a level up but an unprecedented level unlocked.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to open their transfer chequebook in January and BBC pundit Alan Hutton has tipped Ange Postecoglou to strengthen one key position in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur gear up for January…

On the face of it, Tottenham Hotspur have made a really encouraging start to the Premier League campaign under Australian boss Postecoglou, who has led his side to fifth place in the table with 26 points taken from 13 fixtures played.

Nevertheless, the Lilywhites are on a run of three straight losses in the English top flight, something that won't fill them with too much confidence ahead of their visit to Manchester City on Sunday.

Casting an eye to the New Year, the north Londoners will be keen to venture into the market for new additions, especially when factoring in the injury crisis that is currently present in N17, involving the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Richarlison, Pape Sarr, Ashley Phillips and Alfie Whiteman.

Arrivals will be necessary to help bolster squad depth in key areas and Postecoglou looks to have a central midfielder in his sights. Reports suggest that Genk star Bilal El Khannouss is on Spurs' radar and could cost around £15 million to prize away from the Jupiler Pro League outfit.

Al-Ittihad winger Jota is another face who could pitch up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January and is believed to be keen on a reunion with his old boss at Celtic; however, Postecoglou is in the process of deliberating whether the Portuguese ace would suit Premier League football, as per The Sun.

Now, BBC pundit Hutton has tipped the Lilywhites' manager to recruit in another key area to help challenge one of his first-team men for his spot in the starting lineup.

Alan Hutton reacts to Gavin Bazunu links

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC pundit Hutton has tipped Tottenham Hotspur to sign Southampton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu in January, who is said to be a target for Spurs, according to the outlet.

Gavin Bazunu in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

18

Goals conceded

27

Clean sheets

3

Former Scotland international Hutton stated: "You absolutely need to sign someone now to challenge Vicario. But you see the problems that have happened at Arsenal with people constantly talking about [Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya].

“The pressure is on them to not make mistakes, otherwise they’re out! It’ll be an interesting one. I think Vicario is the number one as he’s done really well since he’s come in. He’s made some big saves in big moments and he’s really grown within the team.

“Bazunu would be good if he does come in, but he won’t be number one. Is he there to push Vicario? Probably.”

Dubbed "brilliant" by Southampton boss Russell Martin, the 21-year-old has proven his worth between the sticks in the Championship this term, maintaining a save success rate of around 60% (Bazunu statistics – FBRef).

Given the peripheral role that both Fraser Forster and Hugo Lloris now play at Tottenham Hotspur, it may make sense to bring in a younger alternative in the form of the Republic of Ireland international to challenge Guglielmo Vicario for his place in the side.

Spurs could sign a Saliba clone with move for £39m titan

Ange Postecoglou’s side will undoubtedly look to sign exciting reinforcements this winter.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2023