Sky Sports pundit and former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Ange Postecoglou may personally look to make a big Spurs signing this summer.

Spurs linked with new defender signing

Despite their defence being much improved on last season in terms of quality, it remains the case that Postecoglou is keen on a further defensive reshuffle.

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He could be ideal for one particular role.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 27, 2024

Radu Dragusin put pen to paper on a £25 million move from Genoa last month, but Tottenham apparently want another centre-back after the Romanian. They've been linked with a fair few options, like Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite, while there is a belief that Spurs want a full-back alternative to Pedro Porro as well.

Indeed, Udinese starlet Festy Ebosele and Southampton star Kyle Walker-Peters are said to be attracting interest from N17 in that regard – with the club's ex-scout Bryan King even urging them to make a move for the former.

“It could be useful to have some cover on the right because they are pretty strong down the left," said King to Tottenham News.

"He sounds like he is the right player to bring in. He is a good age, he has got enough Italian connections at the club with Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario, so I imagine it would be easy for him to settle in.

“By the sound of his pedigree, he sounds like someone who could stand in for Pedro Porro and give Tottenham more depth in their squad. I think this signing would be a good idea.”

If these recent reports are anything to go by, then Tottenham supporters could expect more stars at the back to come in after Micky van de Ven last summer and Dragusin in the winter.

Robinson backs Ange to personally seek centre-back signing

Going back to the centre-back area, Sky pundit Robinson has backed suggestions Spurs could bring in a new name there, and he believes a fresh central defensive option is something Postecoglou will seek at Tottenham.

“Davies is a great option to have because he can play as a centre-half as well. But that area, the back for, is something that I think he will look at," said Robinson.

Tottenham's next league fixtures

Date

Crystal Palace (home)

March 2nd

Aston Villa (away)

March 10th

Luton Town (away)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

“Dragusin’s a great signing. We haven’t seen anything of him, just coming off the bench, but the partnership of Romero and Van de Ven is clearly his first choice. If there is an injury or suspension in that area then Dragusin will come into that. So those three, if you’re going to go through a season, I think he will potentially add another for strength and depth next season.”

Of all the options that we believe could be most realistic in this sense, perhaps young Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori could be an astute choice. The 21-year-old, who's been linked with a move to north London, can operate as both a centre-back and left-back – so would also provide cover behind Destiny Udogie. He's also valued at just £26 million.

As Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool at the end of the season to commence a new era at Anfield, veteran defender Joel Matip will also follow the German out of the door with his contract set to expire. Well aware of the centre-back's pending exit, the Reds have already begun their search for a replacement and could now look closer to home rather than long-term target Goncalo Inacio.

Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool's interest in Inacio is hardly a secret these days, given that reports have been linking the Premier League giants with a move for the Sporting Club defender since last summer. Now, according to Anfield Watch via TeamTalk, Liverpool have made contact with Inacio's agent over a potential move in the coming months in a deal that would trigger the centre-back's £52m release clause.

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The Reds aren't the only club interested, however, with reports indicating that Newcastle United and Arsenal are also big admirers of Inacio ahead of the summer transfer window. For now, it seems as though Liverpool have jumped ahead of their Premier League rivals in pursuit of their target, but that's not to say that they haven't thought of a back-up option.

In what would be one of the most surprising deals of the summer, Liverpool are eyeing a move for Jarrad Branthwaite as an Inacio alternative this summer, according to TeamTalk. The Everton defender is attracting plenty of interest, including reportedly from Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur, and could leave Goodison Park for as much as £75m this summer.

Of course, it is worth considering that Everton's price-tag may rise if it is Liverpool who make an approach due to their local rivalry. But, that said, the defender wouldn't be the first to make the move across Merseyside.

Tony McNamara (Everton to Liverpool)

£4k

1957

Dave Hickson (Everton to Liverpool)

£12k

1959

Johnny Morrissey (Liverpool to Everton)

£10k

1962

Kevin Sheedy (Liverpool to Everton)

£100k

1982

David Johnson (Liverpool to Everton)

£100k

1982

Alan Harper (Liverpool to Everton)

£100k

1983

Peter Beardsley (Liverpool to Everton)

£1m

1991

Gary Ablett (Liverpool to Everton)

£750k

1992

Nick Barmby (Everton to Liverpool)

£6m

2000

Abel Xavier (Everton to Liverpool)

£750k

2003

When the summer transfer window arrives, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Liverpool attempt to add to that list.

"Outstanding" Branthwaite has outperformed Inacio this season

Although it seems like Inacio is Liverpool's preferred choice this summer, Branthwaite has managed to outperform the Sporting man in certain areas so far this season. Here's how Braithwaite's stats compare to Inacio's so far in the current campaign…

Tackles Won

25

19

Blocks

27

20

Interceptions

39

20

Aerial Duels Won

58

31

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher is certainly a fan too, telling Sky Sports: “I think he is [special]. And what is really special as well is the amount of centre-backs we have in the Premier League aged 21 or younger.

"Branthwaite has been outstanding, Murillo I think has been outstanding. But I think this lad has been pretty special and he’s a big part of why in my eyes Everton still have a great chance of staying up, him and his partnership with Tarkowski.”

Wrexham’s rivals have been told to “never underestimate” the “pulling power” of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney after seeing Arthur Okonkwo signed.

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Goalkeeper snapped up as a free agentStatement of intent from the Red DragonsMore deals expected in summer windowWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons made no secret of the fact that the goalkeeper they signed on loan from Premier League giants Arsenal last season was going to be a top transfer target for the summer of 2024. They knew that Okonkwo’s contract in north London was running down and that he would become a free agent.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Few gave the Welsh outfit much of a chance when it came to putting a permanent deal in place, with the highly-rated 22-year-old attracting plenty of interest. Okonkwo is, however, back at SToK Racecourse and ready to write another exciting chapter under the guidance of Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney.

WHAT MORRELL SAID

Former Wrexham player and manager Andy Morrell considers the signing of Okonkwo to be a real statement of intent, posting on social media: “Well that just shows what I know!! Never thought this would happen, as too many teams higher up the pyramid wanting to sign him. That is why u never underestimate the pulling power of @Wrexham_AFC! Great first [signing] and still so much potential/ development!”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham have already missed out on other targets this summer, but are expected to remain busy through to the next recruitment deadline. Reynolds and McElhenney, along with head coach Phil Parkinson, are determined to ensure that the Red Dragons are fiercely competitive in League One for 2024-25.

يظل مستقبل المصري محمد صلاح وثنائي ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، محل اهتمام جماهير الفريق الإنجليزي والصحف العالمية.

وتنتهي عقود محمد صلاح وفان دايك وأرنولد مع ليفربول بنهاية الموسم الجاري، ولم يكشف النادي عن أي محادثات للتجديد.

وفجر محمد صلاح القنبلة بتصريحاته عقب الفوز على مانشستر يونايتد في سبتمبر الماضي، حيث أوضح أن ليفربول لم يفتح معه أي محادثات لتجديد عقده وبالتالي هذا هو العام الأخير له.

وسلطت صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية، الضوء على الوضع في ليفربول فيما يتعلق بمسألة تجديد صلاح وأرنولد وفان دايك.

وأشارت اإلى أنه على الرغم من نجاح المدرب الجديد أرني سلوت، وتصدر ليفربول للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، إلا أن مسألة تجديد صلاح وأرنولد وفان دايك بمثابة سحابة مظلمة تخيم على هذا النجاح.

اقرأ أيضًا | بين محمد صلاح وفان دايك وأرنولد.. شيرر ولينكر يتفقان على من سيتم التضحية به في ثلاثي ليفربول

ويوضح التقرير أنه من المستحيل التفكير في ليفربول بدونهم في الموسم المقبل، لكن هذا هو الاحتمال الحقيقي، مع إغلاق ليفربول لجميع الاتصالات بشأن مفاوضات عقودهم لتجنب الأخبار المتقطعة.

ورفض مدير كرة القدم ريتشارد هيوز علنًا الخوض في مستقبلهم، وأصر على أنها مسألة خاصة بين النادي واللاعبين.

وذكر التقرير أن محمد صلاح يثبت جدارته بالاستمرار في ليفربول ومواصلة تحطيم الأرقام القياسية، في الوقت الذي يعد فيه اللاعب محل اهتمام لأندية الدوري السعودي.

وأفادت الصحيفة أن صلاح هو الشاغل الأكبر وسيكون حرًا في التحدث إلى أندية أجنبية اعتبارًا من 1 يناير والخوف هو أن يتم إغراؤه بالدوري السعودي للمحترفين.

ويبدو أن صلاح سينتهي به المطاف في المملكة العربية السعودية، في الوقت الذي أثبت فيه المصري أنه الورقة الرابحة لليفربول، حيث أنه يحب اللعب على أعلى مستوى في كرة القدم العالمية.

وأكدت أنه قد لا يكون غرور صلاح قادرًا على التعامل مع هذا الافتقار إلى الأضواء، على الرغم من عشرات الملايين التي سيكسبها في السعودية.

وبالنسبة لفان دايك، فالهولندي يحب قيادة ليفربول ويبدو أنه من غير المنطقي، نظرًا لنفوذه الواسع في غرفة الملابس، أن يُمنح عقدًا لمدة عامين على الأقل، وهو أسهل صفقة يمكن إبرامها.

وفيما يتعلق بألكسندر أرنولد فهو الصفقة الأكثر صعوبة، اللاعب سيبلغ من العمر 26 عامًا، وهو محل اهتمام لريال مدريد الإسباني.

وصرح أرنولد برغبته في مواصلة التتويج بالألقاب، وريال مدريد سيكون الوجهة الأنسب لذلك.

لا ينبغي أن يكون المال مشكلة، حيث أن استبدال الثلاثي سيكلف ليفربول 200 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

ولكن هل يمكنهم إقناع صلاح وألكسندر أرنولد وفان دايك بالاستمرار في ليفربول أم لا؟

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a Premier League double over Chelsea with a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge yesterday, and it looks as though Gary O’Neil’s decision not to sign anyone on deadline day could pay off.

They were linked with a midfield talent who is thriving for Birmingham City in the Championship this season during the January transfer window. Could they rue not making a move?

Wolves missed out on Boubacar Traore upgrade

During the dying embers of the transfer window, Wolves were interested in signing Jordan James as they looked to bolster their ranks.

Birmingham wanted a fee of around £10m for the youngster and ultimately, no deal went through before deadline day.

The 19-year-old would have been a shrewd acquisition, especially with his future potential and the fact he may have been an upgrade on Boubacar Traore.

This season, James has scored six goals in 27 games while creating one big chance and averaging 0.4 key passes per game, suggesting that he poses a decent threat from the heart of the midfield.

In comparison, Traore has failed to find the back of the net, and he has yet to create a big chance either, along with averaging 0.3 key passes, and it is clear who is the bigger attacking threat out of the two.

Defensively, James has also won more total duels per game (3.4 vs 1.8), made more tackles per game (1.3 vs 1.1) and more interceptions per game (0.7 vs 0.3), clearly indicating that the young Welshman would have been an upgrade on the 22-year-old Molineux star.

With Matheus Cunha netting a hat-trick against Chelsea on the weekend, James certainly has the attacking qualities that could have taken the Brazilian striker to new levels between now and May.

Jordan James could be ideal for Matheus Cunha

It’s safe to say that Cunha has arguably been one of Wolves’ most impressive players this season.

In 27 matches across all competitions, the former Atlético Madrid forward has netted 11 goals while grabbing seven assists and if he keeps up his current strike rate, he could break through the 20-goal barrier.

Having someone like James operating behind him could only benefit Cunha in the long term, especially with his penchant for bursting forward from the middle of the pitch, evidenced by his six goals in the league this season.

Hailed as a “hungry” talent by his former boss at Birmingham, Lee Bowyer, James currently ranks in the top 30% when compared to positional peers in the men’s next 14 competitions for progressive carries (1.57) and successful take-ons (1.06) per 90.

While these stats may not seem out of this world, it clearly demonstrates his ability to get forward at all times and as he ages and matures, there is no doubt these statistics will improve drastically.

James could be another excellent talent to emerge from Birmingham and O’Neil certainly made a major transfer blunder last month by failing to add him to the Old Gold squad.

Sharma’s crucial unbeaten 39 from 22 balls from No. 6 pulls Storm through nail-biting run chase

Matt Roller at Hove01-Sep-2019Heather Knight paid credit to her Western Storm side’s batting depth after Deepti Sharma’s crucial unbeaten 39 from 22 balls from No. 6 lifted them over the line in a nail-biting run chase against Southern Vipers at Hove.Sharma came in with Storm needing 70 off 7.3 overs after prolific openers Smriti Mandhana and Rachel Priest had fallen early, but struck seven boundaries in her cameo in the middle to support Knight – who made 78 not out – as they chased down their target with an over to spare.”We’ve had people throughout the order play brilliantly throughout the competition,” Knight said. “Fran Wilson and Sophie Luff have been outstanding for us this year, and Deepti has had some really good cameos, even though she hasn’t had to bat too much.”I’m really delighted with how we’ve gone. The two at the top [Mandhana and Priest] obviously have a job to try and score quickly and sometimes that doesn’t pay off so we’ve got the middle order to patch that up if that does happen.”Also read: Knight leads Storm to title with unbeaten 78 against VipersVipers captain Tammy Beaumont suggested that while her side’s middle order had chipped in throughout the tournament, the difference in batting depth was ultimately the difference between the sides.”Yeah definitely, you look at them – they’ve got seven international players, and we’re kind of lacking that a little bit in our team,” she said.”Full credit to the girls, they’ve all stepped up at different times. Amanda Wellington has played some gems of innings for us at five or six, and so have Fi Morris and Paige Scholfield, so that’s just the way it is. But yeah, of course – having someone of the class of Deepti is maybe a little bit of a difference there.”The contrast with the Vipers – who were 134 for 1 after 14 overs, but lost six wickets for 38 runs in the final six overs – was clear, and Knight paid credit to her side’s decision to sign a full quota of overseas players that would be available for Finals Day, which contrasted with the other two sides.”Trevor Griffin has been amazing, putting the squad together,” she said. “No-one works harder as a coach than him in the early summer going to see players play in county cricket, and stuff like that, and assembling the best squad we could.”We made the decision to go with an overseas [player] that was going to be available for the final, because obviously we lost Smriti last year. It was sad to let Stafanie [Taylor] go but obviously she wasn’t available for today, and Deepti’s been outstanding for us, and obviously we had that little bit of extra depth which was nice.”With Danni Wyatt, who was confirmed as player of the tournament after the final, striking the ball cleanly, the Vipers had been set for a total far in advance of the 172 they ended up with, and Knight credited her seamers with dragging things back in their favour.”I thought they were on for 200-plus at one point, the way Tammy and Danni were going there in the middle,” Knight said. “It was a really good track, really hard to defend or stop the flow of runs when players were going like that.”We bowled outstandingly – Freya [Davies] and Anya [Shrubsole] in particular pulled it back nicely, managed to pick up a few wickets and I thought 170 was going to be really tough to chase, but we knew it was probably within our grasp.”We’ve chased some really good totals over the past couple of years, and we’ve somehow found a way to win a lot this season in tricky situations, so to do that, with the belief we’ve had, we knew that if one batter was there at the end we were in with a good chance. [I’m] delighted it was me, and happy to pick up the trophy.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Na noite desta sexta-feira, menos de 48 horas antes do Majestoso, a Federação Paulista de Futebol finalmente definiu o horário de Corinthians x São Paulo, na Neo Química Arena, neste domingo, pelo Paulistão-2021. A bola vai rolar às 22h15 após o poder público não permitir a realização da partida às 16h.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2021 clicando aqui

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Durante a semana, a FPF já havia divulgado todos os horários dos jogos deste final de semana e da próxima semana, exceto pelo clássico entre Timão e Tricolor, já que havia uma indecisão em relação à possibilidade de transmissão na TV aberta, o que exigiria que o duelo acontecesse na parte da tarde.

O problema é que o protocolo definido para a volta do Paulistão nas últimas semanas somente permite a realização das partidas após 20h, para evitar a aglomeração dos torcedores em meio à pandemia de coronavírus. Sendo assim, a mudança de horário e a consequente quebra de protocolo foram vetadas e o jogo ficou para as 22h15 e a transmissão será pelo Premiere.

Até o início da noite desta sexta-feira, nem Corinthians, nem São Paulo sabiam o horário em que entrariam em campo no domingo. Tanto é que o Timão deixou pendente a divulgação do horário em que o elenco treinará neste sábado. Com a definição do Majestoso, o grupo trabalha na parte da tarde.

Ambos os times já conquistaram a classificação de forma antecipada para as quartas de final do Paulistão. O objetivo agora é fazer a melhor campanha possível para ter vantagem de definir os confrontos em casa durante toda a fase de mata-mata do estadual. Com compromissos por Libertadores e por Sul-Americana no meio da semana, as duas equipes devem ser alternativas.

West Indies have drafted Jermaine Blackwood into their XI for the Jamaica Test as a concussion substitute for Darren Bravo.Bravo retired hurt on 23 on the fourth morning of the Test, having just driven Jasprit Bumrah to the cover boundary in the fourth over of the day. He had taken a blow to the helmet in the last over of day three, off a bouncer from Bumrah. The ball had struck the right side of his helmet, and sent his stem guards – which protect the batsman’s neck area – flying. He faced two more balls on the third evening, and a further ten balls on Monday morning.A medical examination confirmed a concussion, and match referee David Boon subsequently approved West Indies’ request for Blackwood to come into the game as a substitute.A CWI spokesperson said Bravo had undergone a concussion test after the end of the third day’s play, and passed it.”He obviously got hit yesterday evening, but there weren’t many balls left in the day’s play, so he got through that and came off and he thought he was doing alright. He didn’t show any signs of being dizzy or concussed,” West Indies captain Jason Holder later said. “But he came this morning, and I don’t know if it was because of the heat or what, you know, he was feeling a little bit dizzy, he had a headache, so we took the precautionary route and we pulled him off.”In what was to become the first instance of 12 batsmen playing in a Test innings, Blackwood came into bat at the fall of the fourth wicket, and scored 38 off 72 balls. West Indies, chasing 468 for an unlikely win, eventually slumped to a 257-run defeat.Blackwood wasn’t in West Indies’ original squad, but is from Jamaica, and had earlier fielded as a substitute during the match. The last of his 27 previous Test appearances came in Bulawayo in October-November 2017. He becomes the second concussion substitute in men’s Test cricket, after the Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who came in for Steven Smith in the Lord’s Ashes Test last month.As with Bravo in this Test, Smith passed a concussion test on the day he suffered the blow, but experienced delayed symptoms the next morning. A Cricket Australia spokesperson had said then that 30% of all concussions in Australian cricket are delayed.

After the extraordinary highs of Headingley last week, the trip across the Pennines provided a rather more low-key resumption of hostilities

The Report by Andrew Miller04-Sep-2019Australia 170 for 3 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 60*) v England

Put that Ashes fever on ice. And wind. And rain. And grim Mancunian Autumnal mizzle. After the extraordinary highs of Headingley last week, England and Australia’s trip across the Pennines provided a rather more low-key resumption of hostilities, as just 44 overs were possible in a stop-start day that nevertheless provided a microcosm of the series to date.Stuart Broad bowled with aggression, intent and thrilling early success – scalping David Warner for the fifth time in seven innings, and for his sixth single-figure score of a desperately poor series, before Steven Smith and his super-sub-turned-automatic pick, Marnus Labuschagne, continued their own fine runs of form with another brace of half-centuries – for both men, it was their fourth in as many innings in this campaign, and Smith’s eighth in a row against England since the 2017-18 rubber.But then the weather had the ultimate say on a day that also featured a maiden home Test wicket for Craig Overton, a player rather surprisingly recalled to England’s attack on account of the ticker he showed in adversity Down Under two winters ago, and who lived up to that reputation with a very timely late incision after a three-hour rain delay, his sharp inducker bursting through Labuschagne’s gate to bowl him for 67 and end a determined third-wicket stand of 116.In between whiles, however, this was a day on which it was hard to judge quite where the two teams were at. At 28 for 2, with both Australian openers succumbing to Broad in the space of seven overs, it seemed the Headingley hangover was set to be prolonged for a visiting team that had had the Ashes “stolen” from under their noses, in the colourful phrasing of their coach Justin Langer.But then, by the time a three-hour rain delay had given way to a 4pm resumption amid swirling winds and a biting chill factor, the momentum of the day – such as was able to develop – swung emphatically back to Australia’s most accomplished pairing.In a mildly comical half-hour that featured another two-minute rain interruption, the squally conditions were so atrocious that the rubbish being served up by England’s bowlers was matched only by the detritus fizzing across the ground as a succession of crisp packets, clingfilm and a rogue beach-ball (crisply swept for four by Smith) punctuated both the action and what little rhythm England could muster. Even the bails failed to survive the conditions, with the umpires removing them (in accordance with Law 8.5) before a pair of replacements, weighed down by some hastily hammered-in nails, were brought back into play.Steve Smith pulls through square•Getty Images

If there was a talking point from an England perspective, it centred around a notably off-colour day for Jofra Archer – an overdue development, some might say, after a summer of ceaseless highs and expectations for a player who – lest we forget – has barely celebrated his three-month anniversary as an international cricketer.Archer’s first five-over spell was cagey, averaging in the low 80s rather than the mid-90s, although that could have been put down to his assessment of the conditions – after all, having taken the new ball in similar weather at Lord’s, he had arguably bowled a yard too short to truly challenge the outside edge, and this time seemed more focused on line and length than pace and fire.It was his second spell in the afternoon that raised a few more eyebrows – with Smith in his sights and already well set after a solid start to his comeback innings, Archer opened up with a 79mph loosener and rarely exceeded 85mph in an occasionally sharp though largely lacklustre display. There’s no doubt that the chill did not favour such a thoroughbred performer, and he seemed reluctant to part with his two sweaters before finally settling for a short-sleeve only, but such are the expectations surrounding his every delivery these days that anything that veers towards the ordinary is bound to attract attention. But he’ll be back. He always is.Besides, with Broad in one of his Ashes moods from the outset, Archer perhaps felt entitled to be the support act for once. With James Anderson now officially ruled out of the series, Broad’s status in England’s Test attack has never been more senior, and he responded to Australia’s desire to take first use of a dry pitch with another outstandingly hostile opening gambit.His first over featured a second-ball lbw appeal against Marcus Harris that England rightly chose not to review, and a fourth-ball breakthrough, as Warner’s struggles against his round-the-wicket line were exposed once again.The manner of Warner’s parting today was stereotypical of the trouble that Broad has caused him all series. Around the wicket, outside off and shaping back in, drawing the batsman into two minds, then snicking the edge of a half-committed bat by a hint of jag off the seam allied to extra bounce.Off Warner trooped for a second-ball duck, for a series record that now reads: 2, 8, 3, 5, 61, 0 and 0. Only Mike Atherton, in his first full series against Glenn McGrath in 1997, has recorded more than Warner’s current tally of six single-figure scores in an Ashes series, and with a maximum of three more innings to come, there’s time yet to match or surpass his figure of seven.Broad now was in one of his ominously rhythmic spells, and three overs later, he thumped Harris on the knee-roll with another of his angling-in nipbackers from round the wicket, and roared down the pitch, arms outstretched in celebrappeal, with only the most belated of backwards glances to the umpire, Kumar Dharmasena, who duly obliged with a tentative, unconvincing raise of the finger.Harris reviewed, as well he might, and sure enough the ball was shown to be clipping the leg bail … indisputably out, but one of those ones that leaves a batsman ruing what might have been.And so, for the first time this summer, Australia’s two stand-out batsman of the series were united in the middle – by the close they had scored more than 40 percent of their team’s runs for the series, but until now in single file rather than tandem.The curious spin-off benefit of Smith’s concussion substitution at Lord’s was that Labuschagne was handed an opportunity that might not otherwise have arisen, and for the fourth innings of the campaign, the calm, methodical, reasoned approach honed by half a season of rich returns for Glamorgan paid further dividends for his country.As had been the case with Smith at Edgbaston, England were too quick to lose patience when their lines of attack failed to find the edges that have been standard among the rest of Australia’s batting, and at times it was surprisingly hard to tell the two batsmen apart, with Labuschagne every bit as adept at working the ball off the straight and narrow through the leg-side before capitalising on the over-compensations with drilled drives through the covers.And as at Headingley in what had appeared to be an Ashes-deciding hour of indiscipline in the first innings, England’s failure to settle into any sort of rhythm looked likely to cost them dear until Overton’s sparky intervention before the early close. Either way, Smith was able to take advantage and kickstart his comeback with 60 largely unchallenged runs. They got away with it last week, but England will need to be sharper on the resumption to keep their Ashes ablaze.

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants to play at the 2026 World Cup in North America despite failing to impress at Euro 2024.

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Ronaldo wants to play 2026 World CupChasing unique record in North AmericaYet to score a goal after four matches at Euro 2024.WHAT HAPPENED?

For the first time in his career, the talismanic attacker has failed to score in a major international competition. After making a record-extending appearance in his sixth European Championship, Ronaldo was eyeing a second record of becoming the first player in history to score in six different editions of the Euros. He came agonisingly close to achieving the feat in their last match as Portugal earned a penalty in extra time against Slovenia. The Al-Nassr superstar, however, squandered the spot-kick and then burst into tears.

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The Portugal legend's performance has come under scrutiny as he can be often seen struggling to win aerial duels, something he used to be a master at during his prime. , however, reports that the European Championship is unlikely to be Ronaldo's last dance as he is desperate to play at the World Cup two years later. There is one record that he is still chasing at the twilight of his career which is becoming the first player in history to appear and score in six editions of the flagship competition.

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Before heading to Germany for the Euros, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid displayed sublime form in the Saudi Pro League as he scored 50 goals across all competitions for Al-Nassr.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO?

The superstar will be back in action on Friday as Roberto Martinez's side take on 2018 World Cup winners France in a blockbuster Euro 2024 quarter-final clash. Ronaldo has said this will be the last European Championship of his playing career.