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Jason Holder has kept his cards close to his chest when asked about West Indies’ line-up for the second Test against India, saying he would decide after taking a look at the pitch on Saturday morning

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2016Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, has kept his cards close to his chest when asked about the team’s composition for the second Test against India, which starts at Sabina Park on Saturday. He said the pitch looked full of moisture on the eve of the Test, but would wait till the morning of the match before taking a final decision.”We will take the final decision tomorrow morning, see how the pitch looks,” he said. “Yesterday it looked a bit green and this morning there was a lot of moisture.”Despite the look of the pitch, Holder felt it was difficult to predict how it would behave.”The last game we played here against Australia there was not this amount of grass on the pitch,” he said. “Previously there was grass, but the pitch still ends up being on the slower side. To be fair, as I said, probably it’s difficult really to predict how the pitch will play here in Jamaica. Going into this game tomorrow morning, I just need to take a final decision.”West Indies went into the first Test in Antigua with only one genuine quick bowler, in Shannon Gabriel, with allrounders Holder and Carlos Brathwaite playing a holding role with their seam-up. Holder did not reveal if either Alzarri Joseph or Miguel Cummins would come into the team for the second Test, but had words of encouragement for Joseph, the uncapped 19-year-old fast bowler, when asked if he was ready for Test cricket.”To be fair, I have never played against Alzarri, never seen him play cricket live,” Holder said. “But I have seen him play cricket on TV. And there is obviously a lot of talk going behind him. He has talent, he has the ability, he has pace. I support him fully. He has done what is done to get here.”We just need to get behind him if he is making his debut tomorrow. If he plays in the near future, we just need to give him support. Support is all we can give. At this time, it’s important for him to back his skills and know what got him here. He got here by hard work, he got here by performances. He will just continue doing what he has been doing before and if given the opportunity, I wish him all the best.”In a West Indies line-up that struggled in both innings of the first Test in Antigua, Jermaine Blackwood perhaps struggled the most, falling for ducks in both innings. Since scoring 92 against Sri Lanka in Galle last year, Blackwood has made 78 runs in nine Test innings at an average of 8.67. Holder did not specify if Blackwood would retain his place at Sabina Park, his home ground, but said the middle-order batsman had his full support.”I haven’t picked the team as yet,” Holder said. “Jermaine has done well for us in the last few seasons. But I support him, I back him 100%. If he is given a chance to continue, I hope he will go and put out a good performance. He has got a Test century and has done well against some of the best bowling attacks. Everybody goes through a rough patch. It’s just about him turning it around.”

Ilkay Gundogan is "prepared" to join Arsenal if they offer him a longer contract than Man City with similar wages, and manager Mikel Arteta is "aware" of this.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners have missed out on a first Premier League title in nearly 20 years with Pep Guardiola's Blues imperiously storming to their third-successive domestic crown.

City have been simply incredible and are in with a real chance of clinching the treble – with an FA Cup final against cross-town rivals Man United and Champions League final in Istanbul awaiting them.

Arsenal challenged them for the vast majority of this season and were in pole position for a significant period of the campaign, but injuries to the likes of William Saliba arguably hampered their form late-on.

As a result, it's back to the drawing board for Arteta and sporting director Edu, with the transfer chief recently confirming that summer plans are already underway.

The north Londoners are looking to seriously reinforce Arteta's midfield, leading to links with both West Ham star Declan Rice and Gundogan among others.

In terms of the latter man, who is currently set to leave the Etihad as a free agent next month as things stand, Football Transfers now claim he is "prepared" to make the switch to Arsenal on one condition.

Gundogan is after security and wants a longer term deal, at least a two-year, with City currently only offering one-season and the option of another.

There is apparently a belief that if Arsenal table a more prolonged contract with similar wages to that of his current City deal, the Germany international would be ready to accept.

This is despite him generally wanting to remain at City, and what's more, Arteta is apparently "aware" of Gundogan's stance over fresh terms.

Arsenal, though, don't typically offer long-term deals to stars over the age of 30 – so they will have to break this self-imposed rule.

Who is Ilkay Gundogan?

The 66-cap star has been a key, key player for City both behind-the-scenes and on the pitch – having just captained them to their fourth title in five years.

Only a handful of City players have featured over more league minutes than Gundogan, who has chipped in with 12 goal contributions as well (WhoScored).

Guardiola also recently lavished praise on his midfield star, perhaps encapsulating why Arsenal are very interested in his signing.

"I love him. I adore him. I'm married, but I adore him! Ilkay is such an important player," said the Blues boss (via Goal):

"Humanity, leading with silence – and yet when he talks everybody listens. He is a football player defined perfectly.

An attacking midfielder with a sense of goal and assists. He is so intelligent in the moment and always in the right position. He can also play as a holding midfielder. Ilkay is an exceptional player in all senses."

Yorkshire’s limited-overs captain Alex Lees announced his intention to drop himself barely a month into the job before the NatWest Blast tie against Nottinghamshire was abandoned because of rain

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2016Yorkshire’s limited overs captain Alex Lees announced his intention to drop himself barely a month into the job before the NatWest Blast tie against Nottinghamshire was abandoned because of rain as the wettest June for years threatens to put a dampener on the competition.Less, the youngest professional to be appointed as a full-time Yorkshire captain since Lord Hawke, called his decision “a no brainer”.He said the decision was inevitable because of the availability of Root and Bairstow coupled with the form of Adam Lyth, who struck two Royal London Cup hundreds in successive days against Northants and Lancashire earlier this week.New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson was put in charge before steady rain at Headingley denied the North Group’s bottom two sides the chance to lift their ailing NatWest T20 Blast campaigns in a match chock a block with England stars including Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Notts’ Alex Hales.”For me, it was a no-brainer,” said Lees. “Obviously Rooty and Jonny come back into the team, so two had to miss out there. Adam comes into the team. You can’t not play somebody who’s just scored back-to-back hundreds off 60 balls.”It’s just a gentle reminder to everyone that nobody’s bigger than this club and going forward, we want to put out the best team that we can.”Meanwhile, Yorkshire plan to pay tribute to Jo Cox MP, who was killed by an attacker in her Batley and Spen constituency on Thursday with a minute’s silence and the players wearing black armbands in their match against Derbyshire on Sunday.

Everton grabbed what could be a vital point against Crystal Palace, in a game where they were reduced to ten men away from home, but still find themselves 18th in the league with just six games to go.

The Toffees have never been relegated from the Premier League, but could be set to go down after a number of disappointing seasons.

Their draw at Palace has meant that they are level with Leicester City on points, and are just one point behind Leeds in 16th.

With the table as tight as it is, every point is now crucial. Here's how we think Everton could fare in this final month of Premier League action…

Everton fixtures 27 April: Newcastle (h) 1 May: Leicester (a) 8 May: Brighton (a) 14 May: Man City (h) 20 May: Wolves (a) 28 May: Bournemouth (h) Everton vs Newcastle

Newcastle are in red hot form, fresh from their 6-1 victory over Tottenham, but they will be looking to improve their results on the road, having lost 3-0 at Villa Park in their last away trip.

Everton will hope that home advantage can give them a boost, with Eddie Howe's side still playing for a place in the top four.

The Toffees lost the reverse fixture 1-0 in October, and could face former star Anthony Gordon, who joined Newcastle in January.

Prediction: Everton 0-2 Newcastle

Leicester vs Everton

With both teams dangerously close to relegation, this is arguably the most important game in each of their remaining few.

Win, and Everton can start to put some distance between themselves and the drop zone. Lose, and they may begin to panic about the possibility of going down for the first time in their Premier League history.

Leicester recorded a 2-0 victory at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture, and with the side picking up a victory against Wolves under new interim manager Dean Smith, it will be a game which carries a lot of pressure for the away side.

Everton have won just once away from home in the Premier League all season, but Dyche's men will be right up for it and could come away with a hard-fought point.

Prediction: Leicester 1-1 Everton

Brighton vs Everton

Another tough away game awaits Dyche's side as they travel to face an in-form Brighton side who are in the hunt for a Champions League place.

Brighton ran riot at Goodison Park in January, winning 4-1 with four different goalscorers, and they will hope that Roberto De Zerbi's side aren't as clinical as they were in that match.

With European football still very much in sight for Brighton, they certainly won't be taking their foot off the gas.

Prediction: Brighton 2-0 Everton

Everton vs Man City

Whilst facing Man City is a daunting prospect for anyone, particularly given the form they are in as they chase down Arsenal at the top of the league, Everton may take some comfort that they held Pep Guardiola's side to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad earlier this season.

A Demarai Gray stunner rescued a point for the visitors that day, and they will hope for a similar level of defensive performance as they welcome the likes of Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish to Goodison Park.

City also have a two-legged Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid to contend with, and Dyche will hope this means that some of the visitor's star players are rested.

Given the form they are in, it is tough to look past an emphatic City victory.

Prediction: Everton 0-3 Man City

Wolves vs Everton

Wolves could have their safety secured by the time they welcome Everton for their final home game, and the visitors will hope that they have little motivation in what could be a vital game for their survival.

Everton fell victim to a 95th minute winner against Wolves on Boxing Day in Julen Lopetegui's first game in charge, and the Toffees will be out for revenge at Molineux.

Given the potential differences in pressure heading into that game, Everton could walk away with three points, and this could be vital to their hopes of survival given the other tough fixtures they have.

Prediction: Wolves 0-1 Everton

Everton vs Bournemouth

Although Bournemouth have improved in recent months, picking up impressive wins against Liverpool and Tottenham, a 4-0 home defeat to West Ham may affect their confidence in the next few weeks, and their Premier League safety is not yet secure despite being five points clear of Everton.

Everton's final game being at home could be a huge boost, and if they are still within touching distance of safety, they will have to do everything to gain three points in what could be one of the club's most important games in years.

Bournemouth humiliated Everton twice in the space of a week in November as they beat them 4-1 and 3-0 in the Carabao Cup and the League, and Everton will have to be wary of the strength of their opponents going forward.

The Cherries scored twice at Arsenal and three times at Spurs on their travels, but have won just four away games all season, and Everton could use their home advantage to secure victory.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Bournemouth

Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner could potentially become Antonio Conte’s replacement at Tottenham, according to journalist Christian Falk.

The Lowdown: Conte is on the verge

All is not well at Spurs at the moment, with Conte openly calling out key figures after last weekend’s 3-3 draw away to Southampton in the Premier League.

The Italian has cut a frustrated figure for big chunks of the 2022/23 campaign, while his own health has also been an issue, and it feels like a matter of when he leaves Tottenham, rather than if.

Conte is contracted to Spurs until the end of the season, at which point an extension won’t be signed, but he could even leave before then, with a replacement arguably needed now, in order to secure a top-four finish.

Departed former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is a candidate to replace Conte, but Glasner has also emerged as a contender.

The 48-year-old has managed Frankfurt since 2021 and won the Europa League with them last season, beating Rangers on penalties in the final.

The Latest: Falk talks up move

Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk talked up Spurs’ potential appointment of Glasner as Conte’s successor:

“The news that Thomas Tuchel is joining Bayern Munich is good news for Oliver Glasner.

“They clearly like German coaches over in Tottenham! A few years before, they tried to get Hansi Flick, now they’ve tried to go for Tuchel, they’ve got Glasner on the list; he’s Austrian, of course, but German-speaking and German-thinking.

“The point is that Glasner is thinking about this move, which is why he’s yet to sign a new contract. Frankfurt have tried to extend his contract but there are ongoing discussions about the squad.

“Glasner wants to make the next step and get better with Frankfurt. If you don’t get better with Frankfurt, you can get better with another team and get a better squad; these are the discussions between Markus Krosche and Glasner.”

The Verdict: Could be a great option

Glasner could be a very exciting option for Spurs, either in the coming weeks or this summer, with the Austrian doing such an impressive job at Frankfurt, guiding them to sixth place in the Bundesliga currently.

The north Londoners’ barren run without silverware is much-publicised, and he could be seen as someone who can come in and end that drought, having won the Europa League last season.

Some of Spurs’ matches under Conte this season have been dull, and while Glasner adopts a counter-attacking style, it has more purpose than what supporters have had to sit through at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.

Glasner could also be a cheaper option than Nagelsmann, which could appeal, and while the latter has some doubters after his spell at Bayern, the former’s reputation is very much in-tact right now.

Manchester United have reportedly met with the agent of Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, according to reporter Patrick Berger.

The Lowdown: Kobel profiled

Kobel is 25 years of age and made the move to Dortmund from Stuttgart in 2021. Since then, the Switzerland international has made 65 appearances for Dortmund, keeping 23 clean sheets.

He is valued at a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation and is under contract with the Bundesliga side until 2026. Kobel has also come in for praise from Dortmund goalkeeping coach Matthias Kleinsteiber, who said:

“I think the fans realised very quickly that he’s a really good goalkeeper. But he still has a lot of room for improvement, he can improve in all areas.”

“Gregor can handle the pressure, I’ve seen that with him. In Augsburg, he had real pressure on the kettle, as it was about staying in the Bundesliga, and also with Stuttgart as the next step, he didn’t have it easy.”

The Latest: United interest

Berger, chief reporter for German outlet Sport1, took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to provide an update on Kobel. He said that both the Red Devils and Premier League rivals Chelsea ‘have met with an agent of the Swiss goalkeeper’.

However, Berger added that Kobel ‘wants to stay at least one more year with BVB’ and that ‘the Bundesliga side has no intention to sell.’

The Verdict: Good to see

It is good to see that United are making moves ahead of the summer window, looking to build on the overall success during Erik ten Hag’s first season at Old Trafford.

A new striker and midfielder appear to be the main priority over the coming months, but a new goalkeeper could also be beneficial to rival David de Gea.

Dean Henderson is ‘unlikely to be welcomed back to Old Trafford when his loan at Nottingham Forest expires after criticising Ten Hag’, with Brentford’s David Raya another keeper linked with a move to Manchester.

Kobel could be a name to keep a close eye on following this update of a meeting held between United and the player’s agent, however, the club may find it tricky given his current stance.

As a result, the Red Devils may need to look elsewhere for another high-quality ‘keeper to challenge De Gea next season, potentially Raya who is waiting for a ‘big move’ in the summer.

Despite an admirable display at Wembley, Chris Waugh believes Loris Karius may never be seen as a Newcastle United player again.

The Lowdown: Karius played his part

In what was an extraordinary turn of events, Karius was handed his Newcastle debut in the Carabao Cup final and while he failed to keep a clean sheet he did indeed pull off two impressive saves.

Karius will indeed have had visions of his nightmare Champions League final display for Liverpool, but he did showcase that he’s still got the ability to be a good enough keeper for someone.

No matter how well Karius played on Sunday it’s very unlikely he would ever have come close to keeping his spot when Nick Pope returns this weekend and may not even command a spot on the bench now Martin Dubravka is back and able to be called upon.

The Latest: This could be the end for Karius

Despite his decent display at Wembley, Waugh has admitted on Pod on the Tyne that he’s unsure if Karius will ever pull on a Newcastle shirt again with his contract set to expire this summer.

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He said: (32:05) “He did make a couple of saves, his first couple of saves were comfortable which I think were good for him but in the second half when the game was stretched he had to make a couple of important blocks.

“This may be his only Newcastle United appearance we may not see him again, don’t know what’s going to happen beyond this season.”

The Verdict: Sensible to part ways in the summer

Given that come the end of the season Newcastle could well still have five first-team goalkeepers on their books in the form of Pope, Dubravka, Karius, Mark Gillespie and also Karl Darlow – who’s currently out on loan – could all still be on Tyneside.

Therefore, moving on from Karius who was only brought in on an emergency loan would make a lot of sense, as well as shipping out Darlow who’s started just one game in England’s third tier for Hull City at the moment.

Newcastle’s biggest problem since PIF took over the club is battling against Financial Fair Play as they’ve struggled to move on players so letting go of Karius should surely be a very simple decision come the summer.

Arsenal and Edu are reportedly being ‘kept informed’ of James Maddison’s situation at Leicester City ahead of a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Contract uncertainty

Maddison only has 18 months left on his contract at Leicester, and has reportedly turned down a number of offers from the club to extend it.

The Foxes are willing to make him the highest-paid player in their history, but are aware that they may have to sell him this summer if he turns down another offer.

The Latest: Arsenal keeping tabs

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that the Gunners are one of a number of Premier League clubs who have been ‘kept informed’ of Maddison’s situation.

North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur as well as title rivals Manchester City are also keeping tabs on him, while Newcastle United retain a ‘strong interest’.

The Verdict: Smart signing

Maddison would certainly be a smart signing by the Emirates Stadium outfit, given that they could sign him for a cut price because of his contract situation, added to the fact that he already has the Premier League experience.

Hailed as a ‘super talent’ by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, he believes that Maddison is a ‘Champions League player’, which is where Arsenal are striving to be next season.

Despite Leicester’s struggles at times this term, sitting in the bottom half of the table, the 26-year-old has still managed to score nine goals and make a further five assists from midfield in the top flight so far (Transfermarkt), and is more than capable of making the step up.

Nonetheless, Maddison is a signing that would certainly excite the Gunners fanbase, having called for his capture in the past.

West Bromwich Albion enjoyed a relatively quiet January transfer window, but admittedly they were hardly in need of vast reinforcements.

Carlos Corberan had already inherited a relatively strong squad and managed to knit them together into a unit which will now have eyes on a return to the Premier League. Considering where the Baggies lay prior to Steve Bruce’s dismissal, this marks an outstanding turnaround.

There was no need for his Spanish successor to go wild in the transfer market, as it offers unpredictability alongside the potential to upset his finely-tuned machine, although he did supplement the squad with two new arrivals and nearly added a third on deadline day.

It was reported by the Evening Standard that Albion had agreed a deal with Chelsea starlet Omari Hutchinson to join until the end of the season, with the 19-year-old turning down offers from Europe and other Championship clubs in favour of a move to The Hawthorns.

However, according to The Athletic’s Elias Burke, it appeared that complications arose, which in turn led to Karlan Grant’s failed move to Swansea City. As such, both deals could not be completed in time, and the clubs missed out on their respective targets.

This arguably would have been the perfect move for West Brom to make given their current situation, bringing in a super-talented teenager to supplement the likes of John Swift, push them for a place in the team or even offer an instant upgrade to drive the team even closer to their objective of promotion.

The youngster has impressed this season for Chelsea’s youth setup and already boasts two senior appearances, having only moved from Arsenal last summer.

In 14 Premier League 2 appearances, he has notched five goals and a further seven assists. This is further supplemented by his three goal contributions in four EFL Trophy matches. 

His dynamism paired with a fine technical proficiency would have made him an ideal partner for Daryl Dike to play off of, with the American having only recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

He has notched two goals in his last three league games and will likely play a big role in their promotion push. His return adds pace and power, as well as the cutting edge that they had been lacking up front, and he would have surely thrived from the service of Hutchinson.

Graham Potter’s line about the teenager’s performance during a mid-season friendly further outlined exactly what Dike and West Brom will miss out on, with the Chelsea manager saying: “[Hutchinson] was really good, dangerous and asked a question all the time.”

That prying offensive nature could have been the additional spark to add even more goals to a solid West Brom outfit with the Championship’s fourth-best defensive record.

They should still finish in the play-offs without him, but he could have been the vital difference towards going even further and daring to dream of an automatic promotion spot.

Presenter ExWHUemployee has denied reports that West Ham United captain Declan Rice has already agreed to join Arsenal.

What’s the word?

It’s widely understood that the English midfielder will be leaving the Hammers in the summer as he looks to fulfil his ambition of playing for a Champions League side.

It’s also reported that the Gunners are in the market for a new signing in the middle of the park with Rice being widely tipped as a key target this summer.

In fact, Spanish publication Nacional (via Football365) state that the player has already “given his word” to Mikel Arteta’s team, committing to a future transfer.

However, in a new update shared on The West Ham Way Patreon, Ex has denied it is anything close to being done and dusted just yet.

He said: “Reports that captain Declan Rice has a “gentleman’s agreement” in place to join Arsenal is untrue. Whilst Arsenal are said to be one of the front runners in signing the England international, there is no agreement and at this point all options are open.

“Rice remains fully committed to West Ham and in a week which has seen Brighton’s Caicedo (a player who West Ham once turned down signing) release a statement asking to leave and now being placed on leave to sort his head out, Rice is likely to captain the side out at Derby or at the latest Newcastle away.

“Whilst it is accepted in West Ham circles that Declan will move in the summer the player wants to do his best to get the club as far up the table as possible and hopefully achieve a successful cup run in either the FA Cup or the Conference League. We will keep you updated on the player’s future if and when we hear any developments.”

Future up in the air?

While Rice may well be on the club’s agenda, in all likelihood he won’t be moving this winter and so the Gunners are targeting Brighton’s Moises Caicedo for now.

According to the Mirror, though, that interest won’t stop Arsenal from still chasing Rice in the summer. Even so, while it remains possible that the north London outfit sign both, it doesn’t seem as though anything is set in stone just yet.

Rice is captain of the Hammers and has played over 200 times for the cub. He still has 18 months left on his contract and will likely want to leave on as best terms possible.

With that in mind, it makes sense for him to keep all his options open now and just focus on the season at hand. Seeing as the club are caught down towards the bottom of the table and may be dragged into a relegation fight, he may need to be at his best in the second half of the campaign to lead the Irons out of any potential trouble.