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Ryan Higgins left Middlesex for Gloucestershire in search of more white-ball opportunities and he put his Championship debut to immediate good use

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2018
ScorecardRyan Higgins bowling for Middlesex in 2017•Getty ImagesGloucestershire’s bid to complete a Specsavers County Championship win inside five sessions over Kent was scuppered when rain stopped play in Canterbury with the visitors 47 runs short of their victory target with nine wickets in hand.Chasing a modest target of 108 for victory over their Division 2 rivals, Gloucestershire had reached 61 for 1 after 15.5 overs when showers and bad light forced the teams from the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence to ruin west country hopes of wrapping up victory in this rain-delayed game with a day to spare.On a Canterbury pitch enlivened by heavy midweek rain that waterlogged the outfield and led to the loss of the game’s first four sessions, it was Gloucestershire’s seam bowlers who fared best in twice skittling the hosts for an aggregate match total of 174.”Wicket suited me” – Higgins

Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire): “The wicket was suited to my sort of bowling, it was ideal for the slower, swing bowlers and the blokes who pitch it up there. The pitch was a little dryer today and wasn’t nipping about as much, but there was still plenty in it if you hit the right areas.
“I bowled quite a lot at Middlesex last year but am really enjoying this experience playing four-day cricket for Gloucestershire. We’re in a good position here but we still have to knock these runs off.”

Gareth Roderick’s gritty 51 helped Gloucestershire secure a valuable first-innings lead of 46, after which Ryan Higgins held a swing-bowling masterclass, taking 5 for 22 to dismiss Kent for 110 second time around.It was a great Championship debut for Higgins with Gloucestershire – a county he chose to join from Middlesex in search of precisely this sort of opportunityContrasting knocks from Daniel Bell-Drummond, who hit 61 from 63 balls with 10 fours and six, and a patient 32 in a shade over two hours by Zak Crawley, marginally saved Kentish face, but the domination of Gloucestershire’s bowlers continued thereafter as Dan Worrall and Matt Taylor claimed two wickets apiece in a controlled and skilled display of seam and swing-bowling in helpful conditions.Bell Drummond’s demise – his was the 11th of 15 lbw decisions in the match to date – sparked Kent’s second collapse in as many days as five wickets fell for 24 runs in 10 overs either side of lunch. Kent’s acting captain Joe Denly bagged a pair, Darren Stevens departed without scoring soon after then, with a single to his name, Will Gidman nicked to the keeper to complete a miserable performance against his former county as Kent succumbed in 48.3 overs.The visitors started the fourth and final innings of the match 30 minutes before Sunday’s tea interval and soon lost Chris Dent to a Matt Henry inswinger that rearranged the left-hander’s stumps.It proved a false dawn for Kent fans however, as Benny Howell (34*) and the visitors’ first-innings top-scorer, Gareth Roderick (11*), dug in after the interval to post an unbroken half-century stand that only the inclement weather could halt.As if to rub salt in Kent wounds, they also lost seamer Grant Stewart two deliveries into his third over of the afternoon with a recurrence of a hamstring problem that ruled him out of last week’s final pre-season friendly against Surrey.At the start of day three, Kent needed only six deliveries to mop up the final two wickets of Gloucestershire’s first innings.Henry, the Black Cap paceman snared Worrall leg before with a skidding first delivery of the day, then last man Taylor was well held low at first slip as Henry marked his county debut with 4 for 33.Stevens celebrated his 200th first-class appearance for the club with three for 19, while Stewart, Gidman and debutant Harry Podmore bagged a wicket apiece.Weather permitting, Gloucestershire appear destined to complete a deserved victory on day four, leaving Kent with plenty to ponder after their dismal showing in this opening fixture of the domestic season.

It has been some few weeks for young Hannibal Mejbri at Manchester United, with the promising playmaker having seemingly come from nowhere to secure a prominent role in Erik ten Hag's side.

Having returned to Old Trafford following a stint on loan at Birmingham City in the second tier, there had been suggestions that the 20-year-old would be shipped out on a temporary basis yet again over the summer, particularly after failing to earn a place in the matchday squad for the opening games of the season.

Aided by the lengthy list of absentees in Manchester, however, the Tunisian international was handed his chance off the bench against Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this month, more than taking that opportunity after netting a stunning first goal for the club from range.

Another impressive showing followed from the start against Burnley – with his performance hailed as "perfect" by Ten Hag – although yesterday's comfortable Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace showed that there is still plenty of room for improvement for the midfielder.

How did Mejbri perform against Palace?

On a night in which United strolled into the fourth round with a routine 3-0 win, Mejbri was not quite the influential presence he had been at Turf Moor, with Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst writing that the emerging talent had 'struggled to influence proceedings with the ball'.

That was evidenced by the fact that he made just 28 passes in total – fewer than teammate Andre Onana in the sticks (31) – while also failing to make a single key pass or complete a successful dribble, with his 6.4 match rating having been the lowest of any starting player for the hosts – as per Sofascore.

Previously hailed as "phenomenal" by Blues boss Josh Eustace during his time at St Andrew's, there is no doubting the France-born maestro's commitment off the ball as he yet again worked tirelessly to press from the front, albeit having been slightly too eager at times after picking up an early yellow card.

With four fouls in total on the night, the former Monaco ace may count himself lucky not to have been dismissed prior to his eventual withdrawal on the hour mark, with there needing to be occasions where the striking talent reins it in somewhat, despite his desire to impress.

It was that committed approach that endeared Mejbri to supporters initially following his brief cameo at Anfield back in April 2022 – having been praised by club legend Bryan Robson for showing "some pride" on that grim night on Merseyside – yet Ten Hag can ill afford to lose players needlessly to suspension amid his other selection woes.

Will Mejbri start against Palace this weekend?

Bizarrely, the fixture list has thrown up another clash between the Red Devils and Roy Hodgson's men at the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday afternoon, with the home side seeking what would be a third successive win in all competitions.

In truth, despite his bright, 'energetic' performances of late – as per GOAL's Richard Martin – Mejbri may find himself ruthlessly axed from the starting lineup this weekend, particularly with Bruno Fernandes likely to return in that playmaking berth after enjoying a well-earned, midweek rest.

With the Portugal international a true "creative machine" – as per Manchester City counterpart Kevin De Bruyne – it is imperative that United get him back into his favoured position in the centre, rather than being shifted out wide to cover the loss of the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho.

Mejbri's versatility does mean he could operate in a deeper role alongside Casemiro if needed, yet with both Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat now back fit and firing, Ten Hag may look to more senior options to bolster the midfield moving forward.

To oust the academy graduate from the side would be a perhaps harsh move, yet it is fair to say that the 5 foot 10 sensation didn't do quite enough to warrant another inclusion against the Eagles.

Royals are on a nine-match winning streak in Jaipur and are on a high after plotting RCB’s downfall in Bengaluru

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu17-Apr-20184:14

Faulkner: Royals will find it hard to leave out Laughlin

Form Guide

Rajasthan Royals: defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 19 runs, defeated Delhi Daredevils by 10 runs via D/L method, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders: defeated Delhi Daredevils by 71 runs, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets, lost to Chennai Super Kings by five wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets.

Big pictureSo the jinx has been broken. Rajasthan Royals became the first team this season to successfully defend a total in a full, 20-over game, after racking up 217 for 4, on the back of a Sanju Samson special in Bengaluru. Royals had also previously defended a score, in a rain-shortened match against Delhi Daredevils in Jaipur. Since Royals’ victory on Sunday, two other sides, including Kolkata Knight Riders, have won batting first this season. Is the trend changing?KKR’s boundary percentage of 67.67 is the best among all teams this season, while Royals’ 54.14 is at the opposite end of the table. Royals are the more conservative side among the two, but boast of a nine-match winning streak at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in the IPL. Only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have had longer winning streaks at home. Given they have not always played their home games in Jaipur, and the fact that they have just come back from a two-year suspension, Royals’ streak dates back to 2013. Still, home advantage counts for something.The teams employ contrasting approaches on the bowling front too. While the three spinners do the heavy lifting for KKR, Royals rely on pace and use their inexperienced spinners K Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal to contain runs. Which method will prove successful in Jaipur?In the newsRoyals’ mentor Shane Warne has gone home for a short holiday, but the team is in the safe hands of two Indian domestic stalwarts in Amol Muzumdar and Sairaj Bahutule, the batting and spin bowling coach respectively. Sussex quick Jofra Archer, who had been sidelined from much of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the start of the IPL with a side strain, batted and bowled on the eve of Royals’ game against RCB, but wasn’t picked. It remains to be seen if he is fit and available for this clash.The likely XIsRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 D’Arcy Short, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Rahul Tripathi, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 K Gowtham, 8 Shreyas Gopal, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Ben LaughlinKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Raina, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Kuldeep YadavESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Dinesh Karthik has faced 29 dots from overs 7 to 15 – the most by any batsman this season. He has scored 78 runs off 68 balls in the middle overs at a rate of 6.88 per over. In four matches this season, Narine has figures of 7 for 82 from 15 overs, with an economy rate of 5.46, the best in the tournament so far. Ben Stokes has a strike-rate of nearly 150 against pace in IPL 2018 but that drops to 57.1 against spin. He has scored only eight runs off 14 balls from spinners.Strategy puntThere is a case for Royals to save Ben Laughlin for Russell. The Australian seamer has has bowled only four balls to Russell but has dismissed him twice while giving away seven runs in T20s. He’s also been superb with his execution of yorkers so far this season.Fantasy pickNarine has excellent numbers against Royals’ batsmen. He has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane three times in 39 balls, Buttler twice in 24 balls, and Samson twice in 26 balls, in all T20 cricket. He has also dismissed Stokes once in nine balls, while conceding only 10 runs. Narine could also swing his bat and prosper at the top, especially if Royals continue to open the bowling with Gowtham, and fetch you still more points.

Celtic maintained their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership table this weekend as they beat Motherwell 2-1 in dramatic fashion on Saturday.

The Hoops did not take the lead until Luis Palma struck in the 87th minute and then appeared set for late heartbreak as the hosts equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

However, Denmark U21 international Matt O'Riley became the hero for Brendan Rodgers as he popped up with a 97th-minute winner to secure all three points for the Bhoys.

How did Luis Palma perform against Motherwell?

The Honduras international, who joined from Aris FC during the summer transfer window, caught the eye off the bench with an impressive cameo.

As per Sofascore, Palma provided two key passes, one of which created a 'big chance', and completed nine of his 11 attempted passes to go alongside his goal.

The 5 foot 10 ace, who was a hero alongside O'Riley, scored his first goal for the Hoops as he cut inside onto his stronger right foot from the left flank and whipped a shot, which may have been a cross, into the far corner from the edge of the box.

Rodgers must now unleash the 23-year-old ace from the start in the Premiership as the exciting winger is yet to make his full league debut for the club and he could form an exciting link-up with O'Riley at the top end of the pitch.

How many chances has O'Riley created this season?

The former MK Dons star, who has scored five goals in seven top-flight outings, has created 17 chances for his teammates so far this term.

This comes after the 22-year-old produced a whopping 84 key passes and provided his teammates with a staggering 16 'big chances' in the Premiership during the 2022/23 campaign.

He has made 0.6 more key passes per match than any other Celtic player this season and made 0.2 more per game than any of his teammate's last term at league level.

These statistics show that O'Riley is the club's outstanding creative threat from a central midfield position and Palma is a player who has the potential to profit from the Danish gem's invention.

How many goals did Palma score last season?

The Honduras international scored 13 goals and produced eight assists in 36 matches across all competitions for Aris in Greece last term.

He was a lethal scorer at league level for the Greek side as the Celtic ace scored 11 goals and only missed one 'big chance' in 20 Super League starts.

Palma, who was described as "ambitious" by Rodgers, rarely passed up a big opportunity in front of goal as he found the back of the net 11 times from just 7.84 expected goals, which shows that the young wizard is a phenomenal finisher from a wide position.

The summer signing has now showcased his ability in front of goal with the strike against Motherwell on Saturday and that is why Rodgers must finally unleash him from the start in the Premiership to see how he fares over 90 minutes.

O'Riley's outstanding level of chance creation from midfield could provide Palma with the opportunities he needs at the top end of the pitch to carry his superb scoring record over from Greece to Scotland.

Kent took advantage of improving Championship batting conditions as Sean Dickson made Gloucestershire toil in Bristol

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2018
ScorecardSean Dickson became the first Kent player to register a hundred in the Specsavers County Championship this season as Gloucestershire’s bowlers were made to toil at the Brightside Ground.Translating his impressive one-day form into runs in the red-ball format, the South African top-scored with 117 to help the Second Division promotion contenders to close on 297 for 4 at the end of day one.Kent are riding high in Division Two largely thanks to the wickets of Matt Henry but this time it was the chance fo their batting to make amn impact.Gloucestershire stuck to their task in the field on a hot day and fought back in the final session, taking three wickets to partially redress the balance. Craig Miles claimed 2-61 but, in the continued absence of front-line pace-men David Payne and Liam Norwell, lacked the incisive support needed to trouble a strong Kent batting line-up.Clearly, it was a day for batting and Joe Denly did not hesitate to make first use of a placid Bristol pitch, watching from the dressing room balcony as Dickson and Daniel Bell-Drummond staged an opening stand of 124 in 46.2 overs.Becalmed in the face of a probing new-ball spell from Matt Taylor, Bell-Drummond mustered just two scoring shots in the first hour as the hosts kept a lid on things.But Dickson played with rather more aggression, raising a chance-less half century from 108 balls to ensure the scoreboard kept ticking over. Bell-Drummond eventually summoned fluency and was one run short of his first fifty of the summer when he lost concentration end edged a Miles length ball to Chris Dent at second slip.There was no stopping the resolute Dickson, who pulled and drove to good effect to eclipse the 69 not out made by Heino Kuhn, Kent’s previous highest score in the Championship this summer.He dominated a partnership of 92 for the second wicket with fellow South African Kuhn and guided a Benny Howell delivery through third man to realise three figures via his 11th boundary in the 66th over.Increasingly assertive, Dickson was looking to accelerate when he miss-judged a Miles in-swinger and played on, having faced 214 balls and struck 13 fours and a six.Certainly, Gloucestershire’s hard-pressed bowlers were glad to see the back of him and, energised by that success, they made further in-roads soon afterwards, Kuhn attempting to hit Graeme van Buuren over mid-on and offering a catch to James Bracey for 33.Their progress checked at 220 for 3, Kent’s innings was in need of a re-boot when Denly and Zak Crawley joined forces in the 72nd over. Crawley succumbed to the new ball, edging Ryan Higgins to second slip for 30, but Denly and Darren Stevens reached the close without further mishap.

Harry Kane is reportedly paying little attention to the transfer speculation that he is generating less than a year into his time at Bayern Munich.

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Big-money move to Germany in 2023In danger of missing out on silverwareReturn to England has been mootedWHAT HAPPENED?

The prolific England international moved to Germany in the summer of 2023 as career-long ties with Tottenham were severed. A switch to the Allianz Arena was intended to help Kane break his duck on the major trophy front.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane has netted 31 goals for Bayern, but they are in danger of ending a season empty-handed for the first time since 2012. Inevitably, with silverware potentially falling out of reach, there has been talk of Kane beating a hasty retreat to the Premier League.

WHAT ROMANO SAID ABOUT KANE

Bayern are, however, preparing to replace Thomas Tuchel as their head coach in the summer and Fabrizio Romano has told of the Kane exit rumours: “There’s already been speculation about Harry Kane’s future at Bayern Munich after this difficult first season for him at the Allianz Arena, and with the club set to change managers in the summer. However, in all honesty, at the moment I have zero concrete news or information on that. Kane is focused on Bayern, with an important Champions League game coming up. Of course Kane is curious to see who’s going to be the new coach, but there’s nothing else to say now.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

Time is still on Kane’s side when it comes to collecting winners’ medals in Munich, as he committed to a contract through to 2027 upon his arrival. His debut campaign may end up being a flop on the collective front, but more money will be spent in the transfer market and he has worked hard on helping his young family to settle in new surroundings.

Having made a mockery of questions over his £42 million ($53m) price tag, the attacker has the ability to star for the Three Lions this summer

Eyebrows hit the ceiling when Chelsea capped another transfer window of extravagant spending by splurging £42 million ($53m) on Manchester City academy product Cole Palmer in the summer – a player with only a handful of senior starts to his name at the time. Fast-forward six months and that price tag looks more like a bargain with each passing day, with Palmer proving to be one of – if not the – signings of the season.

The attacker has emerged as Chelsea's most important player aged just 21. He boasts 24 goal contributions – added to the two he already had for City before his exit – and is leading the way in pretty much every attacking metric for his new club.

It is little surprise, then, that he has taken strides forward in his international career, too. There was an element of luck to his initial call-up to Gareth Southgate's senior England squad in November amid a raft of injuries, but Palmer's form means he is now well and truly in the frame with Euro 2024 on the horizon. Indeed, he should be starting for the Three Lions in Germany.

England's leading lights

One statistic in particular puts Palmer's sublime form at Chelsea into perspective.

In terms of young English players making a significant mark at the very highest level, Jude Bellingham's remarkable exploits at Real Madrid have justifiably dominated the headlines – but Palmer is now matching his esteemed compatriot's attacking output.

With yet another goal and assist as he inspired the 3-2 victory over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, Palmer moved level with Bellingham at the top of the rankings for goal contributions in Europe's top-five leagues by players aged 21 or under, with both now sitting on 19.

The English duo are outperforming plenty of highly-regarded competition from across the continent, including Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala (13), Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen (16) and RB Leipzig's Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi Simons (14).

AdvertisementGettyPotential to thrill

The prospect, then, of Palmer and Bellingham playing in the same team is mouth-watering. The in-form pair were two ships passing in the night in the last international break as Bellingham withdrew from Southgate's squad just a day after Palmer was promoted from the Under-21s, but March friendlies against Belgium and Brazil could see them line up together for the first time – if Southgate throws his usual caution to the wind.

It might be a little -esque, but a central trio of Declan Rice, Bellingham and Palmer has the potential to dominate in every area of the midfield in Germany. Although he has excelled as a more advanced midfielder in Spain, the Real Madrid star is perfectly capable of fulfilling a box-to-box role and putting in a tenacious defensive shift as well as supporting the attack – something he showed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Rice, meanwhile, is proving himself to be among the best defensive midfielders on the planet in Arsenal's title push and is more than capable of acting as the lone anchor.

Palmer and Phil Foden provide some tactical flexibility for the manager ahead of them. Both are capable of operating centrally or out wide, with the Chelsea man admitting he prefers to play off the right. If he is deployed as an attacking midfielder, though, he has already demonstrated he has the ability to unlock some of the best defences around.

Getty Big-game player

Indeed, the 21-year-old has already proved he is no shrinking violet on the biggest stage.

This season alone Palmer has bagged for ex-club Man City in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup, netted a penalty against Arsenal, repeated the trick and assisted against Tottenham, fired in another from the spot against his former employers and squeezed home a fine effort on the road at Manchester United.

Goal contributions aside, though, his performance levels have rarely dipped as he exhibits the kind of consistency and swagger that are required attributes if you want to become world-class. His elite mentality would be invaluable in the boiling pot of the knockout stages of a major tournament.

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GettyOutshining his rivals

Much can – and will – change over the next couple of months as Southgate mulls over some big selection decisions, with friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in March likely to provide a clearer picture of his plans.

As it stands, though, Palmer should have a clear run to the starting line-up, let alone the squad; the Chelsea man is enjoying a far more productive campaign than his main rivals for an attacking midfield role, with both James Maddison and Eberechi Eze enduring injury troubles, and former favourite Mason Mount almost out of the picture altogether as he struggles for form and fitness at Man Utd.

His former team-mate Foden is enjoying another fine season at City, but he is likely to start on the left wing with neither Jack Grealish nor Marcus Rashford demonstrating anything close to their best form in Manchester. Trent Alexander-Arnold's rebirth as a central midfielder could make things interesting, but even the Liverpool assist machine doesn't carry the same attacking threat.

The selectors have left out Barry McCarthy and Craig Young from the squad that took part in the recently concluded tri-series in Deventer

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2018Joshua Little and Andy McBrine have been recalled to a 14-man Ireland squad that will take on India in two T20Is on June 27 and 29 in Malahide. Gary Wilson will continue to captain the side.Little, 18, is a left-arm fast bowler who has played only four T20s so far – two of them T20Is – and was part of the Ireland team in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand in January this year. McBrine, 25, is an offspinning allrounder who has already played 30 ODIs and 19 T20Is, though his last T20I was in March 2017.Ireland squad

Gary Wilson (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, George Dockrell , Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield, Stuart Poynter, Boyd Rankin, James Shannon, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson
IN: Josh Little, Andy McBrine
OUT: Barry McCarthy, Craig Young

Ireland have played only one T20I against India, back in 2009 at Trent Bridge during the World T20 that year. India won that game by eight wickets with 4.3 overs to spare, thanks to Zaheer Khan’s 4 for 19.The Ireland selectors have left out Barry McCarthy and Craig Young from the squad that took part in the recently concluded tri-series in Deventer, where Ireland won one match, lost two and tied one game.Before the series against India, Ireland will play a T20 against Sussex Sharks at the Arundel Castle Cricket Ground on June 24, which will also be Ed Joyce’s testimonial match. Joyce announced his retirement after Ireland made their long-awaited Test debut.Andrew White, the chairman of selectors, said the squad for the India matches had been chosen with a view to giving exposure to players for the future as well as being competitive, and the game against Sussex would help finalise Ireland’s XI.”The selectors have chosen what we believe to be a strong, in-form squad for this format of the game that balances experience with youth,” White said. “Our deliberations were around finding a side that was competitive now, but with an eye on the future.”Many in the squad will be either travelling to Sussex this weekend for the Ed Joyce Testimonial match on Sunday, or will be re-joining the senior squad from their English County sides. We had a good look at a number of players on the recent tri-series in the Netherlands and this weekend’s match in Sussex will firm up the decisions made on the final playing eleven for the first fixture on Wednesday.”White identified building a good group of players for the World T20 qualifiers as one of the aims.”We will continue our approach of providing opportunities for a wider pool of players to gain experience in T20 cricket on the international stage,” he said. “With around 12 months to go to the World T20 Cup qualifiers, we are looking to build a competitive squad for that qualification stage and hopefully propel us into the main tournament in 2020.”

Tottenham Hotspur may have enjoyed a largely proficient summer transfer window, but there remain numerous key positions that could use some strengthening…

Who could Spurs sign in January?

It already seems like Ange Postecoglou, buoyed by his blistering start to life in the Premier League, now has his sights set on the January transfer window, seeking to build upon the fine foundation already built.

As such, it could mark an ample opportunity to begin reinvesting the £100m gained from Harry Kane's sale, perhaps into a striking replacement to put Richarlison out of his misery and return Heung-min Son to his natural role.

That's according to Italian outlet La Repubblica, who suggest that €50m (£43m) of those funds could be spent on tempting Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez to join their revolution.

Having spent much of last window reportedly trying to snag the Mexican, it seems his continued form has caught the eye of others now, with Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund all reportedly interested.

How good is Santiago Gimenez?

Having enjoyed a solid stint in his homeland, the 22-year-old marksman would move to the Eredivisie after a modest nine goals across all competitions for CD Cruz Azul.

However, it seems that a switch to the Netherlands has already proved fruitful, as his pacey and powerful play style allowed him to crash home an impressive 15 goals in the league, and a total of 28 across all competitions.

What makes this even more exciting is that the 6 foot finisher has started the new term in even more blistering fashion, having scored 12 in eight league games, poised to easily surpass last year's tally.

Such form simply had to gain adulation, with former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt leading the praise: "He's standing here among the defenders again and he's really fast. Watching the goalkeeper before he shoots, the halftime… In my opinion he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

To pair him with James Maddison, who has enjoyed an outstanding start to life in N17 as well, and these two could strike up an instant partnership to help propel Spurs to the unthinkable in the final six months of the season.

After all, the England international already boasts two goals and five assists in the Premier League so far after just eight games, averaging a mouth-watering 3.3 key passes per game, via Sofascore. Gimenez must be salivating at the prospect of linking up with one of the game's most in-form creators, and likewise with the former Leicester City man.

It must also be noted that the attacking midfielder has earned success without a recognised striker, given Richarlison's woes in front of goal, having scored only once all campaign. Instead, his South Korean teammate, Son, has stepped up, and whilst posting an admirable return of six league goals, would likely be far better suited to the left wing.

Gimenez's arrival would help recalibrate Postecoglou's system, returning Son to his favoured position and the Brazilian forward to a less pressurised role on the bench. Then, he can start building his relationship with Maddison, which could prove devastating for English football.

West Ham United boss David Moyes is eager for Kalvin Phillips to return to his best form before his loan deal expires in east London.

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Phillips joins West HamStruggles to find form and snubbed by EnglandMoyes warns PhillipsWHAT HAPPENED?

Moyes, 60, has outlined his ambitions to get the former England Player of the Year back to his very best, after the Manchester City loanee was left out of Gareth Southgate's most-recent Three Lions squad. Phillips, 28, has endured a tough return to playing regularly at the Hammers, but his new boss is hoping he can rekindle his finest form before 'time runs out' on his loan deal at West Ham.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MOYES SAID

Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash against Aston Villa, Moyes said: "I'm speaking to him regularly because he's such a good boy to talk to as well. He wants to listen, he's willing to give feedback and he wants to get better.

"There is no doubt he is going to come back to his best form and I hope we can crack the code before our time runs out, I really do. That's the key because I said to him the other day, you don't get the England manager giving you 30-odd caps and you don't get signed by the best manager in the world if there isn't something there.

"I've also been trying to sign him for three years, that might not mean nothing but certainly with the other two, there has to be something that everybody has seen so we have to crack the code to get him back on it."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Phillips secured a temporary loan switch to West Ham during the January transfer window, after starting just two Premier League games since making the £45 million ($57m) transfer from his boyhood club Leeds United to City back in 2022.

The defensive midfielder was eager to get regular minutes under his belt ahead of this summer, as he looks to solidify himself in Southgate's England plans for Euro 2024.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PHILLIPS?

Phillips played just five minutes during the rampant 5-0 win over Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday. The former Leeds man will be hoping he can break back into the starting line-up for the first time since the 2-2 draw with Burnley, as West Ham prepare to face Villa at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.