Next court hearing tentatively scheduled for August 17

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Jul-2020The question of whether the BCCI’s top two officer bearers – president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah – can carry on in their positions remains unanswered with the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday saying after a short hearing that it will take up the matter again in two weeks’ time. It has been listed “tentatively” for August 17.The BCCI has filed its plea – twice since last December – proposing several amendments to the board’s constitution, which, if adopted, could undo some of the most significant reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee. The case was listed to be heard on Wednesday by a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde and Justice L Nageshwar Rao. During a short hearing, conducted virtually because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the court said it would sit again in a couple of weeks to discuss it.The questions now are: can Ganguly and Shah carry on as office bearers, and in case they do without the court’s nod, will it count as an offence? While Ganguly’s term reportedly comes to end on July 27, Shah’s term has ended in the past month or so, although an exact date could not be confirmed.Both Ganguly and Shah have been participating in all important BCCI meetings and have also been the board’s representatives at various ICC meetings since being elected last October. The next meeting where they could, potentially, make an appearance is the IPL Governing Council meeting this weekend.As per the BCCI constitution, an office bearer is allowed to serve for two consecutive terms spanning six years (at BCCI or state level or a combination of both) after which a cooling-off period of three years is mandatory. That rule was approved by the apex court in 2018, when it modified the clause concerning the cooling-off period to two terms (six years) instead of the just one (as stated in its 2016 order).In its second plea filed in April, the BCCI had requested the court to consider the amendments to the board’s constitution, including tweaking the cooling-off period of the board’s office bearers, modifying the disqualification criteria, giving unprecedented powers to the BCCI secretary, and stopping the court from having any say if the board wants to alter the constitution. The amendments were unanimously approved by the state associations that comprise the BCCI general body.

Premier League referees have a great deal of influence on match results, since they are the arbiters of the beautiful game and the keepers of justice. But, what everyone often wants to know is which football teams these officials root for.

There has been plenty of controversy since VAR was introduced from red cards for kicking the ball away in 2024/25 – we’re looking at you Declan Rice – to Nottingham Forest going as far as to inferring that Stuart Attwell’s apparent allegiances to Luton Town influenced him to turn down three penalty decisions against Everton in April 2024.

Forest were notably on the wrong end of some key decisions in 2023/24, even hiring Mark Clattenburg as a Referee Analyst in a bid to get more clarity on officiating at the highest level. He has now left that post.

While VAR has got no better and the officiating goes from bad to worse, here is a look at every Premier League referee with known allegiances to other clubs…

Referee	From	Club supported
Anthony Taylor	Greater Manchester	Altrincham
Michael Oliver	Northumberland	Newcastle United
Stuart Attwell	Warwickshire	Luton Town
Craig Pawson	South Yorkshire	Sheffield United
Bobby Madley	West Yorkshire	Huddersfield Town
Paul Tierney	Greater Manchester	Wigan Athletic
Graham Scott	Oxfordshire	Swindon Town
Simon Hooper	Wiltshire	Swindon Town
Andrew Madley	West Yorkshire	Huddersfield Town
David Coote	Nottinghamshire	Notts County
Darren England	South Yorkshire	Barnsley
Tony Harrington	Durham	Hartlepool United

Anthony Taylor

Altrincham

Anthony Taylor is an experienced Premier League officiating figure who was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester. From a city that is well known for its football passion, he is a supporter of the Greater Manchester team Altrincham FC.

Having worked at the highest level for more than 10 years, Taylor has officiated a number of high-profile games, demonstrating his ability to keep the peace in the high-stress environment of English football.

PL referee since	February 2010
Notable games refereed
2015 League Cup final
2017 FA Cup final
2020 FA Cup final
2020 Super Cup final
2021 Nations League final
2023 Europa League final

Michael Oliver

Newcastle United

Hailing from Northumberland, England, Michael Oliver is one of the more established referees on the Premier League officiating scene.

Though Oliver was raised in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city known for its fervent football culture, he is loyal to Ashington AFC, the team from his hometown, as well as supporting Newcastle United.

Oliver has advanced quickly through the ranks to become one of the Premier League’s youngest referees. He is one of the best referees in the world, as seen by his success officiating games in important European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League.

PL referee since	August 2010
Notable games refereed
2016 League Cup final
2018 FA Cup final
2021 FA Cup final
2022 Super Cup final

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Stuart Attwell

Luton Town

Stuart Attwell is a well-known referee from Nuneaton in Warwickshire. He happens to be a Luton Town supporter, which was something Nottingham Forest pointed out to the Premier League prior to their most recent clash with Everton, where Attwell took up VAR duty.

At the age of 25, he was once the Football League’s youngest-ever referee, demonstrating his devotion and tenacity on his path to the Premier League.

PL referee since	August 2008
Notable games refereed
2022 League Cup final
2023 Community Shield

Craig Pawson

Sheffield United

Born in South Yorkshire, England, Craig Pawson has made a name for himself as one of the leading referees for English football. He’s from the football-loving town of Barnsley, who he happens to support.

He has been entrusted with supervising some of the most dramatic meetings in English football, in addition to officiating many high-profile games.

PL referee since	February 2013
Notable games refereed
2018 League Cup final
2022 FA Cup final

Bobby Madley

Huddersfield Town

Premier League referee Bobby Madley made a bit of a name for himself in football with his own flair and assured refereeing. Madley, who was brought up in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, started officiating football at an early age and advanced fast through the ranks to work in the highest division of English football.

He supports Huddersfield Town, along with his brother and fellow top-flight referee, Andrew Madley.

PL referee since	April 2013
Notable games refereed
2016 Championship play-off final
2017 Community Shield

Paul Tierney

Wigan Athletic

Paul Tierney is from Wigan, Greater Manchester, which explains his support for Wigan Athletic.

Tierney has established himself as a mainstay in the Premier League thanks to his attention to detail and no-nonsense refereeing. But, he has had his controversial moments, including the late goal Liverpool scored this season against Nottingham Forest, when Tierney dropped the ball to the Reds after a stoppage in play, despite Forest having possession when the game was halted.

PL referee since	August 2014
Notable games refereed
2021 League Cup final
2023 FA Cup final

Simon Hooper

Swindon Town

From Wiltshire, England, Simon Hooper has established himself as a prestigious Premier League referee, and is one of two Premier League referees who support Swindon Town.

The Englishman has been at the centre of controversy at times this season, none more so than as referee during the diabolical VAR error that saw Luis Diaz’s goal wrongly disallowed for offside in the game between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

PL referee since	August 2015
Notable games refereed
2017 League One play-off final
2022 League One play-off final

Graham Scott

Swindon Town

Originating in Oxfordshire, England, Graham Scott has become a well-respected name in Premier League officiating circles.

When he first began officiating football in 1997 at lower-league level, he had no real aspirations of rising to the top of the sport. Now, 27 years later, he’s one of the least controversial referees in the top flight, which is some achievement when you consider all the terrible VAR decisions that have been made since its introduction.

PL referee since	November 2014
Notable games refereed
2018 League Cup semi-final
2019 Championship play-off semi-final

Andrew Madley

Huddersfield Town

Yorkshire-born Andrew Madley is the second of the Madley brothers who both support Huddersfield.

His appointment as the FA Cup Final’s fourth official in 2021 was noteworthy, but it hasn’t all been pretty for Madley, as he was heavily criticised for his decision not to refer Jon Moss to the monitor for a penalty decision in a game between Manchester City and Southampton back in 2021.

PL referee since	March 2018
Notable games refereed
2015 League One play-off final
2019 League One play-off final

David Coote

Notts County

Born in Nottinghamshire, England, David Coote opted for the black-and-white-striped side of Nottingham as a supporter of Notts County.

Notably, he has officiated in a number of high-profile games, including at the 2022 FA Cup final as fourth official and is now an experienced Premier League referee. Despite Coote’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the game and ability to make quick decisions, fans of Luton Town or Aston Villa may not have fond memories of him, as both had controversial decisions go against them this season.

PL referee since	April 2018
Notable games refereed
2014 League One play-off final
2023 League Cup final

Tony Harrington

Hartlepool United

Tony Harrington is a well-known figure in the football refereeing community, officiating games in the Premier League and EFL. He is originally from Cleveland, England, hence his love for Hartlepool United.

He has officiated several high-stakes games throughout the years, including crucial cup fixtures and many Premier League matches. But his decision-making was called out recently by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil after his side’s late equaliser was ruled out for offside against West Ham.

PL referee since	December 2021
Notable games refereed
2021 League One play-off final

Leeds United are currently fighting to secure a place as the third team to be promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship this season.

Leicester City and Ipswich Town have already made their way up to the top-flight, as they finished in the automatic promotion places, whilst the Whites will have to go through the play-offs to join them.

Daniel Farke's side come up against his former club Norwich City in the semi-finals of the play-offs, and the first leg is at Carrow Road in Norfolk on Sunday.

Leeds will be hoping to come out on top over two legs before going on to win at Wembley to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The attention will then turn to how they can use the upcoming summer transfer window to make signings to help them avoid the drop, which they failed to do in their last season in the top-flight.

They will need to show that they have learned from previous recruitment mistakes, which date back to the club's errors in the 1990s and early 2000s before their long spell away from the Premier League.

One player Leeds had a howler with was winger Darren Huckerby as they were rinsed by the signing of the forward, who was brought in for big money and offered little on the pitch before being sold for a loss.

How much Leeds paid to sign Darren Huckerby

The BBC reported that the Yorkshire-based outfit splashed out a fee of £5.5m in the summer of 1999 to sign the speedster from Coventry City.

He came up through the youth ranks at Newcastle United but failed to establish himself as a regular, with just two first-team appearances, before his move to the Sky Blues in 1996.

Huckerby scored five goals and assisted one in 25 Premier League matches in his first season with his new club, which was also his first year of regular senior football.

The young wizard then played week-in-week-out in the top-flight over the next two years with Coventry and showcased his ability to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

34

34

Minutes played

2,783

2,736

Goals

14

9

Assists

2

1

Yellow cards

2

9

As you can see in the table above, Huckerby scored 23 goals and provided three assists in the two seasons combined, to go along with his five goals and one assist in his first year at that level.

This meant that Leeds were signing a talented young forward who had already proven that he had what it took to score goals on a semi-regular basis in the Premier League.

Darren Huckerby's Leeds struggles

Unfortunately, the English magician failed to carry his goalscoring form from his days with Coventry over to his team with the Whites after the £5.5m move.

Despite it being officially reported at £5.5m, Totally Money have the fee down as being £6.8m and, per their index, that would be worth a staggering £23.5m in today's (2024) money, based on the inflation of football transfer fees over the subsequent years since that deal.

This illustrates just how expensive the deal was to Leeds, relative to the time, as they splashed a significant amount of money on the exciting forward, who had already proven himself in the Premier League.

Instead of hitting the ground running and showing the best of his abilities in a Leeds shirt, the attacker struggled in his first season with the club.

Huckerby, who was competing for a place in the starting XI with the likes of Mark Viduka and Alan Smith, only played 1,230 minutes across 33 Premier League matches during the 1999/00 season – an average of 37 minutes per appearance.

His lack of minutes on the pitch clearly impacted his contributions in attack as the whiz, who could play out wide or through the middle as a centre-forward, ended the campaign with two goals and three assists to his name.

The English flop then played just seven Premier League games, racking up 247 minutes of action, and failed to register a single goal or assist during the first half of the 2000/01 season.

How much Leeds sold Darren Huckerby for

In January 2001, after 18 months at Leeds, Huckerby completed a move to Premier League rivals Manchester City for a fee of £2.5m – £3m less than the fee the Whites paid to sign him from Coventry.

This meant that the club lost more than 50% of the initial fee they spent on the forward, who cost them £2.75m per league goal during his time at the club – with two after a £5.5m move from the Sky Blues.

Huckerby, who was relegated with the Cityzens in 2001, scored 20 goals in 40 Second Division matches the following season before a return of just one goal in 16 top-flight matches in the 2002/03 campaign.

After a short spell on loan with Norwich City, the exciting ace joined the Canaries on a permanent deal from Manchester City for a fee of just £750k in December 2003.

This suggests that Leeds were right to cash in on him when they did, even if they still made a big loss, as the winger struggled in the top-flight again with City and his value dropped even further, down to just £750k.

The move to the Canaries turned out to be a successful one for the player, though, as he went on to rack up 48 goals and 26 assists in 203 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Huckerby, who was once hailed as a "real threat" by Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy, played one season in the Premier League with the Yellows and chipped in with six goals and three assists in 37 games.

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He scored four more top-flight goals that term for Norwich than in 18 months of action with Leeds after his big-money move from Coventry in 1999.

Overall, the Whites were rinsed by the forward as they splashed out a big fee to sign him from the Sky Blues and were not rewarded with consistent quality on the pitch, before they sold him for a significant loss after he flopped at Elland Road.

European champions Spain began their Nations League defence with a disappointing goalless draw over Serbia at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Spain draw 0-0 with Serbia
• Yamal dazzles for La Roja
• Jovic disappoints for Serbia

• TELL ME MORE

  Spain returned to the field for the first time since their Euro 2024 final triumph over England in Berlin. However, during their Nations League A group stage opener against Serbia, La Roja seemed a shell of the side that cruised through the European Championship just two months ago. While Spain dominated possession as was expected, they failed to move the ball into threatening positions through the first half. Serbia, on the other hand, created multiple threats with AC Milan's Luka Jovic receiving the best chance of the game as he failed to convert a one-on-one chance with Spain goalkeeper David Raya.

  The second half saw La Roja create more opportunities majorly through Barcelona's in-form duo of Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal. However, Luis de la Fuente's men failed to break through Serbia's tight defence.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE MVP

  16-year-old Yamal was not quite at his sensational best against Serbia, however, he was arguably the best player on the field as he was possibly the biggest threat to Serbia's goal with Ayoze Perez and Nico Williams seeming to struggle to find their feet. Serbia's defence held strong to cope with Spain's attack with Strahinja Pavlovic and Nikola Milenkovic playing a big part in the clean sheet.

• AFP
  

  THE BIG LOSER

  Jovic had the best chance to score for Serbia in the first half after a pinpoint pass from Lazar Samardzic sent him through against Raya who dove early to the wrong side. However, the Milan striker sent it way wide of the goal.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Spain will now take on Switzerland away from home in the second group-stage game of the Nations League on September 8, meanwhile, Serbia will face Denmark.

On Sunday the curtain came down on another enthralling Premier League season. This one was special for a number of reasons.

The title may have been wrapped up within 90 seconds at the weekend, Phil Foden crunching home a ridiculous effort from outside of the box but the chase for league supremacy between Manchester City and Arsenal was a joyful ride.

City eventually prevailed by a margin of two points, much to the dismay of Mikel Arteta's side but they will be back next year, ready and waiting to topple Pep Guardiola.

There was also one last dance for Jurgen Klopp. It was back in January that the German announced he'd be stepping down from the Anfield hotseat but it wasn't until his final match, a 2-0 victory against Wolves, that the emotion truly began to pour out.

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There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Klopp and Virgil van Dijk embraced warmly, Trent Alexander-Arnold couldn't hold back the tears. It's just a shame they fell out of the title race with a few matches left to play.

So, who deserves the plaudits from a captivating campaign of action? Well, Football FanCast's expert writing team have had their say and here's who we thought was deserving in each category.

FFC's 2023/34 Premier League award winners

FFC also put together their Team of the Season which included a few notable omissions, particularly Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland, Arsenal's effervescent Bukayo Saka and the aforementioned Van Dijk.

So why did they miss out? We have our reasoning. Read on to find out…

1 GK – David Raya Arsenal

Arsenal's goalkeeper position was a cause for great debate at the start of the season. Aaron Ramsdale hadn't done an awful lot wrong but Arteta sought to usurp him, bringing in Brentford stopper David Raya on loan.

The end result? A Golden Glove for the Spaniard who has been nothing short of exceptional between the sticks. His record of 16 clean sheets in 32 league outings isn't a bad tally, is it?

Games

32

Minutes Played

2,880

Clean Sheets

16

Stats via Transfermarkt.

2 RB – Ben White Arsenal

What a campaign this was for the £50m signing. He has undeniably been the best right-back in the division and even if his refusal of an England call-up caused a bit of a stir, there is no doubting his quality.

A centre-back turned full-back, his relentless approach alongside Saka on Arsenal's right-hand side was a joy to watch. He's become a true marauder, timing his runs to absolute perfection in the final third.

Games

37

Minutes Played

2,994

Goals

4

Assists

4

Stats via Transfermarkt.

3 RCB – William Saliba Arsenal

Three Arsenal players in a row, you say? It's hard to ignore just how good the club's defence was this season. They conceded just 29 goals in the Premier League, the best record in the division and had the third-best expected goals against (xGA) tally in all of Europe's top five leagues, only behind Juventus and unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen.

A large part of that was down to William Saliba who ended up playing every single minute of the campaign on his way to being nominated for the Young Player of the Season award.

Games

38

Minutes Played

3,420

Goals

2

Assists

1

Stats via Transfermarkt.

4 LCB – Gabriel Arsenal

Let's continue the Arsenal trend. Saliba is the man who often takes the plaudits but Brazilian centre-back, Gabriel, deserves his flowers too.

Bizarrely he didn't start the first few matches of the season but since then has made the position his own again. Jamie Carragher said last week: "I think if this partnership stays together for the next three to four years, we are talking about this alongside Ferdinand and Vidic, Carvalho and John Terry."

We couldn't really go with any other two players, could we?

Games

36

Minutes Played

3,044

Goals

4

Assists

0

Stats via Transfermarkt.

5 LB – Josko Gvardiol Manchester City

Now, this was probably the hardest position on the pitch to select. Plenty of our writers voted for Tottenham's Destiny Udogie but it was Josko Gvardiol who just edged things, largely for his remarkable end to the campaign during the title run-in.

The Croatian scored four goals and registered two assists in his last seven outings. Pretty decent numbers for a defender, we'd say.

Games

28

Minutes Played

2,329

Goals

4

Assists

2

Stats via Transfermarkt.

6 CDM – Rodri Manchester City

What a player the Spaniard is. He led the charge again for City and only missed one match when he wasn't ruled out through suspension.

Rodri even added goals to his game this season, ending the league campaign with eight having found the net on the final day of the campaign.

Also assisting nine goals, it was a pretty special campaign for a player who is the best in the world in his position.

Games

34

Minutes Played

2,938

Goals

8

Assists

9

Stats via Transfermarkt.

7 RCM – Martin Odegaard Arsenal

The Norwegian received plenty of votes for Player of the Season from FFC's panel of writers but just missed out after a scintillating season in the middle of the park.

Martin Odegaard closed out the term with two assists against Everton on the final day to outline his qualities as one of the best creators in the division. Only Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins registered more assists than the Arsenal skipper's ten, but more on them later.

Games

35

Minutes Played

3,104

Goals

8

Assists

10

Stats via Transfermarkt.

8 LCM – Declan Rice Arsenal

Arsenal weren't just battling City during the season but they also slugged it out the signing of Declan Rice last summer.

The former West Ham man eventually moved to the Emirates Stadium for £105m where he has been nothing short of a revelation. Like Rodri, he's added more attacking numbers to his game and celebrated the best offensive season of his career.

Games

38

Minutes Played

3,231

Goals

7

Assists

9

Stats via Transfermarkt.

9 RW – Cole Palmer Chelsea

Man City may have won the title but they will surely have regrets over the departure of Cole Palmer, the man who was voted FFC's Signing of the Season.

No one expected his career to soar like it has but what a campaign it was for a man who finished second in the running for the Golden Boot. He surely has to be a shoo-in for a place in the Euros squad this summer.

Games

34

Minutes Played

2,628

Goals

22

Assists

11

Stats via Transfermarkt.

10 LW – Phil Foden Manchester City

The official Premier League Player of the Season confirmed himself as one of the most elite talents in the world throughout 2023/24, scoring a staggering 27 goals and supplying 11 assists in all competitions.

With him and Jude Bellingham in the same squad this summer, there is surely no reason England cannot with the Euros.

Signing off with two goals on the final day as City won the title, there were few better players around than Foden this season.

Games

35

Minutes Played

2,870

Goals

19

Assists

8

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Brighton are looking to bolster their ranks on the cheap this summer, and are ready to exploit another English side's problems with Financial Fair Play to do so.

Uncertainty surrounds Brighton

Struggling in the Premier League by their own lofty standards this season, the Seagulls nonetheless head into the summer with plenty of uncertainty around the AMEX. Chiefly, that speculation surrounds manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has been linked with a move away almost since he arrived at the club.

Previously linked with vacancies at both Liverpool and Barcelona, Xavi's decision to stay coupled with Liverpool's move for Arne Slot appears to have put pay to that.

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However, other clubs are still lurking, and the likes of Juventus, Manchester United and Chelsea could all be on the hunt for a new manager before the new season begins. On the pitch, the Seagulls are braced for interest in striker Evan Ferguson, but it has very much been a season of rebuilding after losing all of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Leandro Trossard in the last 18 months.

That has reflected in their performances, with De Zerbi's side comfortably beaten by Manchester City on Wednesday night and having won just one of their last five Premier League games, leaving them 11th in the table and six points outside a spot for next season's European competitions.

The likes of Carlos Baleba, Simon Adingra and Julio Enciso are all very much stars for the future, but they are yet to be able to perform consistently for the Seagulls, while Brighton's season has been hampered by injuries to Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March and Jack Hinshelwood.

Now, they look set to try and bolster their ranks with some much-needed additions.

Brighton looking to Leicester FFP woes

That is according to Football Insider, who report that the ever-savvy Tony Bloom is keeping a close eye on Leicester City with a view to a potential move for midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Englishman has been in excellent form this season, and has long been a star in the making. Even after his debut for the Foxes, Brendan Rodgers hailed him as "outstanding", and he has not looked back since.

"I thought Kiernan was outstanding," said Rodgers back in 2021. "He wanted to prove a point, he was aggressive and he took on the burden of the game. "He knows the position that we want him to play. He has good energy and good athleticism.

"I've said about him improving on the ball, but he can give us that bite in midfield and he was a catalyst for the second half."

Dewsbury-Hall's impressive season
Appearances	43
Goals	12
Assists	14
Shots on target per 90	0.72
Tackles and interceptions per 90	1.57

Now spearheading Leicester's attempted return to the Premier League, Dewsbury-Hall has attracted no shortage of interest in his services, while Leicester City themselves need to sell to comply with FFP.

Selling a homegrown talent would be the easiest way to balance the books, and the report claims that Brighton are "planning to submit a new bid" after seeing an effort to sign him in January turned down.

The Foxes demanded around £30m to let him leave in the winter, which Brighton were unwilling to match, but despite having three years left to run on his contract the midfielder may be available for less this summer as Maresca's side battle to avoid a points deduction.

On just £20,000 per week at the King Power Stadium, he could prove to be a low-cost addition with plenty of upside for the Seagulls should they find a way to get a deal over the line.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has said it is highly likely that a £50 million star will quit his club this summer, after claims Tottenham want him.

Spurs want to sign new striker, centre-back and midfielder

As per The Times, Spurs want a new striker, centre-back and midfielder to bolster Ange Postecoglou's squad, as the possibility of a serious overhaul becomes more and more realistic.

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The Lilywhites are reportedly open to offers for over a dozen players (Paul O'Keefe), with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Richarlison named among the players who could be sold by Tottenham when the window reopens on June 14.

Spurs will need replacements for either man if they do depart. Richarlison finished the campaign with 12 goals and four assists in all competitions, while Hojbjerg was regularly called upon as a squad player despite not getting many opportunities in Postecoglou's starting line ups.

Tottenham's best-performing players per 90 in the Premier League

Average match rating (WhoScored)

Son Heung-min

7.30

James Maddison

7.17

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

Dejan Kulusevski

6.96

Meanwhile, Postecoglou has admitted that a new central defender is on the Spurs transfer agenda, regardless of their £25 million deal to sign Radu Dragusin in January. In terms of the strikers who could replace Richarlison, there are a few interesting targets to have been mentioned, like Brentford star Ivan Toney.

The £50 million England international, who bagged 20 Premier League goals in 2022/2023, returned from his on-field ban for gambling midway through last season and chipped in with four goals in 16 starts.

Toney is entering the final 12 months of his contract at Brentford, making him a potentially brilliant transfer opportunity for sides like Spurs. Tottenham are reportedly targeting Toney as a new striking option, with Romano sharing what he knows about his future this week.

Strong possibility Toney leaves amid Tottenham links

Speaking to CaughtOffside, Romano says there is a strong possibility Toney leaves amid Tottenham's interest.

“Ange Postecoglou has spoken publicly about wanting to bring new attacking players to Tottenham, but it’s still early to name specific names so I don’t have these for now,” Romano said.

“There are many names under consideration, so we will be clear in the next weeks. An important first step will also be to decide on Timo Werner, then all the other options. Tottenham will take their time for these kind of deals, but for sure there’s interest in bringing in one or two offensive players.

“Ivan Toney is one name I’ve been asked about with Tottenham, after months of links with other clubs as well. It remains a strong possibility for Toney to leave Brentford if top clubs arrive with proposals.

“He’s an option for several clubs, again Tottenham still have to decide what kind of player they want to bring in, same for Man United… but for sure, there’s a good chance for Toney to leave Brentford for a new club this summer.”

Cricket team caught in crossfire of dispute between a private firm and the Pakistan government

Umar Farooq in Lahore27-Jul-2020The PCB has played down reports that a company based in the Isle of Man may seize assets owned by the Pakistan team currently in the UK, as part of an old legal dispute between the firm and the Pakistan government. A report in the Pakistani daily the quoted a letter from Broadsheet LLC to the Pakistan government in which it said it would “seize the assets of the Pakistani cricket team” because of longstanding dues owed to it by the government.The PCB has been in touch with the Pakistan Embassy in the UK and is believed to have been satisfied that there is little prospect of this actually happening. That belief lies in the legal opinion that the Pakistan team is representative of the Pakistan Cricket Board, an autonomous body, and not of the Pakistan state or government, and so is not a party to the case or liable for the damages. In the letter, Broadsheet says that the Pakistan team is “by the very nature, an asset of the defendant and that monies due to the team and assets of the team are assets of the defendant to the litigation”.The PCB, however, said the ordinance under which it was established makes it clear it is autonomous.”The PCB has no nexus whatsoever with the arbitration and/or recovery proceedings between Broadsheet LLC and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan & National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan,” the PCB said.”Moreover, the PCB stands established under the Sports (Development and Control) Ordinance 1962 as a body corporate having perpetual succession with exclusive authority for the regulation, administration, management and promotion of the game of cricket in Pakistan. The PCB operates through its Constitution as an autonomous entity.”The PCB operates and functions independently from the Government, generates its own revenues and receives no grants, funds or monies from either the Federal or Provincial Governments, or the Public Exchequer.”The legal dispute dates back to the early 2000s, when Broadsheet was hired by General Pervez Musharraf, who was the head of state of Pakistan then, to trace out hidden assets of Pakistan nationals in foreign countries. Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) signed an agreement with Broadsheet, which was eventually terminated in 2003. The termination led to a legal dispute, one resolved in 2018, when an international arbitration court in London ruled in favour of Broadsheet, and established that the NAB was liable to pay damages. It is this payment that remains outstanding.The letter quoted in the was written by Broadsheet to Allen & Overy, the firm that represented the Pakistan government and the NAB in the case, and said that Broadsheet was owed “more than USD 33 million” after it won the arbitration.ESPNcricinfo reached out to NAB for comment, but the body has not confirmed or denied any threat to the cricket team’s equipment being seized. The Pakistan team will play three Tests and three T20Is against England, with the first Test scheduled to start on August 5 in Manchester. The final T20I will take place on September 1.

It’s common knowledge that Newcastle United have endured a horrendous injury crisis this campaign, with numerous key first-team members missing for large spells.

Nick Pope and Joelinton are just two examples, with the shot-stopper missing over four months with a shoulder injury and Joelinton has only just returned from a long-term thigh injury that saw him ruled out of action from January to the beginning of May.

Their various setbacks have prevented Eddie Howe’s side from challenging for the top four in the Premier League, following on from their success of the season prior which saw the Magpies reach the Champions League group stage.

They’ve still achieved an excellent finish considering their injury woes, occupying seventh place and only eight points off Aston Villa who qualified for the biggest club competition in the world under Unai Emery.

However, Howe’s been unable to rely on another first-team member, who like Pope and Joelinton, has had a torrid time with injuries during the last couple of months.

Joe Willock’s stats at Newcastle in 2023/24

After scoring eight goals in 14 games on loan during 2020/21, Newcastle decided to pay £25m for the signing of midfielder Joe Willock from Arsenal.

However, since his permanent move to Tyneside, the 24-year-old has failed to replicate his sensational form from his loan spell, only managing to score six Premier League goals in his last 73 top-flight outings – an average of one goal every 12 matches.

This season has been a troubling one for the midfielder, only managing to feature nine times in the league, starting on just five occasions – in a campaign that has been plagued with injuries.

He's suffered three separate issues during the course of the 2023/24 campaign, with the setbacks seeing the former Gunners talent fail to reach the promise he once demonstrated on Tyneside.

Hamstring

83

12

Achilles

91

18

Achilles

44

8

As a result of his constant battles with setbacks, the club have taken a huge hit on the £25m fee they forked out for him just a number of years ago.

Joe Willock’s market value in 2024

Nearly three years on from his permanent move to St James’ Park, the "popular" Englishman, as dubbed by Howe, has seen his value slump, with Willock now only valued at £17.5m – as per Football Transfers.

His subsequent value is less than teammate Sean Longstaff, who cost the club nothing after coming through the Magpies’ academy as a youngster.

Longstaff has since proved himself to be a reliable first-team member, featuring in 35 Premier League matches in 2023/24, with his value skyrocketing to £22.5m – a reflection of his importance to Howe.

Whilst there’s still time for Willock to turn around his fortunes on Tyneside, with the club in potential FFP troubles, they may look to offload him, with his injury troubles becoming a real hindrance to any progress he’s likely to make.

Howe must offload Newcastle "revelation" who earns 2x more than Gordon

He’s looked past his best in recent weeks for Howe’s side.

ByEthan Lamb May 24, 2024

تفاعلت الصحف والوسائل الإعلامية الأجنبية مع قرعة النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية لعام 2025، والتي ستقام بالصيف المقبل في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، وتحددت مجموعة الأهلي.

وتقام النسخة الأولى من كأس العالم للأندية خلال الفترة من 15 يونيو حتى 13 يوليو من العام القادم 2025، بمشاركة 32 فريقًا من مختلف القارات بنظام المجموعات.

وتم تقسيم الفرق إلى 8 مجموعات كل مجموعة مكونة من أربعة فرق، على أن يتأهل الأول والثاني عن كل مجموعة، إلى منافسات الدور الـ16.

ويقع الأهلي في منافسات المجموعة الأولى بجانب كل من، إنتر ميامي الأمريكي وبورتو البرتغالي، بالإضافة إلى بالميراس البرازيلي.

اقرأ ايضاً.. منافس الأهلي حال صعوده لدور الـ16 في كأس العالم للأندية 2025

وقالت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “من المقرر أن تفتتح بطولة كأس العالم للأندية يوم 15 يونيو المقبل على ملعب هارد روك في ميامي، حيث يواجه فريق إنتر ميامي بقيادة ميسي فريق الأهلي المصري . مواجهة ليست الأكثر جاذبية ضمن مجموعة يملك فيها النجم الأرجنتيني فرصة التأهل إلى دور الـ16. المجموعة الأولى ليست مستحيلة، حيث يكمل بالميراس وبورتو المجموعة. دعونا نتذكر أن أتلتيكو مدريد سيواجه هذه الفرق في دور الـ16”.

وكتبت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية: “يلعب إنتر ميامي، الذي يقوده ليونيل ميسي، مباراته الأولى في البطولة ضد الأهلي، كما سينضم إليه بورتو وبالميراس في المجموعة الأولى”.

وعلق موقع “فوكس سبورتس” الأمريكية : “سيفتتح ليونيل ميسي وإنتر ميامي بطولة كأس العالم للأندية لكرة القدم بمواجهة الأهلي المصري يوم 15 يونيو المقبل”.

وأوضح موقع “نيويورك تايمز” الأمريكي: “سيستضيف بطل درع مشجعي الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم ليونيل ميسي المباراة الافتتاحية للبطولة ضد بطل مصر في ملعب هارد روك في ميامي في 15 يونيو 2025”.

وكتب موقع “فوت بوم”: “ميسي وإنتر ميامي يستعدان لظهورهما الأول في كأس العالم للأندية أمام الأهلي المصري”.

وأفاد موقع “ريكورد” البرتغالي: “لقد تم بالفعل تحديد مصير نادي بورتو في كأس العالم للأندية. ويتواجد فريق التنين ضمن المجموعة الأولى، إلى جانب بالميراس وإنتر ميامي والأهلي”.

وقال موقع “itatiaia” البرازيلي: “سيكون بالميراس ضمن المجموعة الأولى في كأس العالم للأندية، التي ستقام في الفترة من 15 يونيو إلى 13 يوليو 2025، وسيستضيف 12 ملعبًا في الولايات المتحدة المباريات، وبالإضافة إلى بورتو، فإن إنتر ميامي الأمريكي، والأهلي المصري ، هما منافسان لفيرداو”.