Bangladesh seek to build on bright spots

While Bangladesh would have liked to have won more convincingly, there was plenty for them to draw heart from in their first ODI of the year

Mohammad Isam27-Sep-2016Match factsSeptember 28, Dhaka
Start time 14.30 local (08.30 GMT)1:34

Isam: Afghanistan has been the story of the tour so far

Big picturePredictably, the first ODI ran close. Afghanistan were in the best position to win when they had eight wickets in hand and required 77 runs to win off the last ten overs. Bangladesh took over from that point, showing their steady temperament in a situation that required them not only to cut down the runs but also to pick up wickets.While Mahmudullah suggested that Bangladesh would have liked to have won more convincingly, there was plenty for them to draw heart from in their first ODI of the year. Shakib Al Hasan broke the big third-wicket stand between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, and gave away just one run in the 47th over when 28 were needed off the last four. Comeback men Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain squeezed Afghanistan out of the match with regular yorkers in the last three overs. Captain Mashrafe Mortaza kept the rampant Afghanistan batsmen in check for most of his ten overs, while Taijul Islam looked decent as the second specialist left-arm spinner.When they batted, the home side would also have been encouraged by Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah who looked in good form, though there will be some concern about Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim.Afghanistan, meanwhile, would be worried about their pace bowling; though Dawlat Zadran did finish with four wickets, both he and debutant Naveen-ul-Haq were expensive. The visitors would also like to see Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi get into the game a lot earlier than they did in the first game. Rahmat’s leg-spin is another option that captain Asghar Stanikzai might explore.The fielding from both sides sorely needs a lift as some easy catches were put down in the first match. But another thriller can be expected in Mirpur, with Afghanistan living up to the home crowd’s expectations as a competitive international opponent.Form guideBangladesh WWWWW (completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLWLWIn the spotlightImrul Kayes batted confidently and timed the ball well during his 37 off 53 in the first ODI. He displayed a new, adventurous side to his limited-overs batting, even if it meant chipping a few in air every now and then. He can be expected to bat the same way, and cement his place at No. 3.Rahmat Shah used his experience of playing domestic cricket in Bangladesh very well during his 93-ball 71 in the first game. He rotated the strike regularly with Hashmatullah Shahidi in a 144-run third-wicket stand that took Afghanistan to a very strong position. But it was his dismissal that turned the tide against Afghanistan. He would surely be keen to weigh in with more runs in the second ODI. Given his form, he might well do so.Team newsBarring injuries, Bangladesh shouldn’t change their winning combination. This would mean Mosaddek Hossain would have to wait a little longer for his ODI debut, while Nasir Hossain and Shafiul Islam would also remain on the sidelines.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Imrul Kayes, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Rubel Hossain, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Taskin AhmedA possible change for Afghanistan could be to replace Naveen-ul-Haq with Karim Janat, bringing in one teenage fast bowler for another. On the other hand, Afghanistan might make allowances for Naveen’s understandable nerves on debut and give him another outing.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Shabir Noori, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 5 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mirwais Ashraf, 10 Dawlat Zadran, 11 Naveen-ul-HaqPitch and conditionsThe Mirpur pitch was sluggish, but the four half-centuries in the first game showed that any batsman who was patient enough could bat comfortably. The forecast is for late afternoon rain in Dhaka.Stats and trivia Shakib Al Hasan is now the only bowler in world cricket to hold his country’s record for most wickets in all three formats Afghanistan have bowled out Bangladesh in all three encounters between the two sides If Bangladesh win tomorrow, it will be their 100th ODI winQuotes”He [Taskin] delivered what we needed him to do. Credit to him for how he came back. He could have had a completely bad day and that could have cost us the match.”

Bresnan heroics in vain as Wood catches eye

ScorecardMark Wood was the pick of the Durham bowlers•Getty Images

Durham shrugged off another injury to captain Paul Collingwood to boost their chances of reaching a second quarter-final when they beat Yorkshire by 15 runs at the Riverside.After both teams progressed in the NatWest T20 Blast on Friday, both can also reach the last eight in the Royal London Cup by winning their final group matches on Monday. Durham go to Old Trafford and Yorkshire entertain Warwickshire but will hope to bat better than in attempting to chase down Durham’s 281 for 7.At 200 for 5 after 40 overs they were 16 ahead of Durham at the equivalent stage but, despite Tim Bresnan continuing his fine batting form with 92, the boundaries dried up against tight bowling.Only 38 runs came off the next seven overs and there had not been a boundary for 12 overs until Bresnan twice planted Chris Rushworth into the stand over midwicket in the 48th. He than holed out off the last ball of the over, leaving 28 needed off two with two wickets standing. Mark Wood conceded only one run in the 49th and Yorkshire finished on 266 for 8.Collingwood, who took over the one-day captaincy from the departing Mark Stoneman last week, was limping while batting and in his absence from the field Keaton Jennings took over. He skilfully marshalled an excellent bowling display, led by Wood after he was belatedly made available as he continues his comeback from two ankle operations. Wood took the crucial wickets of Alex Lees and Jack Leaning while conceding only 43 runs in ten overs.Scott Borthwick was Durham’s star, top-scoring with 84 and taking 1 for 48 in ten overs of generally tight legspin, spoilt only when Bresnan drove a full toss for six then pulled a long hop for four. That came towards the end of a fifth-wicket stand of 76 with Jack Leaning, but when Wood was recalled Leaning steered a catch straight to backward point and the momentum was never recovered.Borthwick accelerated nicely from a 74-ball half-century to reach 84 before breaking his bat, only to fall without addition when the new blade sent a miscued hook to long leg in the 41st over.Durham did well to take 97 off their last ten overs as, despite hitting only two boundaries, Michael Richardson kept the score moving with 53 off 58 balls. He was helped in the last ten overs by cameos from Ryan Pringle, with 27 off 20 balls, and Stuart Poynter, who included a straight six off Bresnan in his unbeaten 27.

Villa Could Silence Toney By Unleashing £100k-p/w “Monster”

Aston Villa travel to Brentford this weekend, with Unai Emery's side looking to keep their Champions League hopes alive with another win in west London.

The Villans have been in superb form in recent weeks, winning seven and drawing one of their last eight Premier League fixtures, which has put the Midlands outfit in with a great chance of securing European football for next season.

However, with six points separating Villa and the top four and just seven games remaining, Emery's side could still achieve their Champions League dream should they continue their unbeaten run until the end of the campaign.

Brentford away represents an extremely tricky game for Emery's high-fliers, and the key to picking up three points could be keeping talismanic striker Ivan Toney quiet.

For that reason, we think the Spaniard should consider unleashing Diego Carlos for the first time since August, as the former Sevilla man has not been given a runout since recovering from his long-term injury.

Should Villa unleash Carlos vs Brentford?

The 30-year-old, who earns £100k per week, would join Villa in a deal worth £26m last summer, but disaster struck on his home debut against Everton as he ruptured an Achilles tendon which has kept him out for much of the season.

However, he has returned to the bench in recent weeks and has been left to watch on as the Villans enjoy an impressive unbeaten run, but he could still play his part in helping Emery's side finish the season strongly.

Last season saw the centre-back average a strong 6.75 match rating from WhoScored for his performances in La Liga, with an average of 2.4 aerials won and 3.5 clearances per game.

Neither Ezri Konsa nor Tyrone Mings – who have been part of Emery's preferred centre-back partnership since he took over – can match that from their overall displays this season, while he also beats Konsa for clearances per game, as well as both players for aerials won.

This suggests that in the long term, he could be a better option for Emery at centre-back, and with one of the Premier League's most in-form strikers set to test Villa's defence on Saturday, it might be the perfect time to unleash Carlos.

Toney has contributed an impressive 18 goals and four assists in 29 Premier League appearances this season, while he is also crucial to Thomas Frank's side's build-up play, as he has won the third-most aerial duels per game of any Brentford player.

Carlos is a man who has been dubbed a "monster" by Ollie Watkins, and his physicality and ability in the air could see Villa silence Toney this weekend, so surely Emery must seriously consider giving him his first start since August.

BCB president announces selection process revamp

BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said that the job of selecting Bangladesh’s representative teams will henceforth be divided between a three-member selection panel and a selection committee

Mohammad Isam05-Jun-2016BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said that the job of selecting Bangladesh’s representative teams will henceforth be divided between a three-member selection panel and a selection committee. The panel will select a squad and take it to the committee for further discussion, before the final outcome is submitted for the president’s approval. This would now make selection of any representative team a three-step process.Hassan said that the coach, the manager and the chairman of the cricket operations committee would be included in the proposed selection committee.”The selection panel will continue to have three selectors,” Hassan said. “One of the three would be the chief selector. They will select the squad. There will also be a selection committee, which will consist of the three selectors – the coach, the team operations manager and the cricket operations committee chairman as the convenor of the selection committee.”The head coach would inform the selectors beforehand of his strategy and what type of players he would require for a particular series. The manager would be presenting the opinion of the captain and vice-captain. They will all sit in a meeting, in which they will sign off the team and send it to me. There won’t be any disagreements.”Hassan said that this ended all discussions about the expansion of the selection committee, and the proposal is now awaiting the board of directors’ approval. Having been initiated by the board’s working committee, the proposal to bifurcate selection responsibilities was further considered by the technical committee, before Hassan and some BCB directors met with Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha to discuss it further on Sunday.In an apparent softening of his earlier position, Hassan said that the coach isn’t bound to watch domestic matches.”The coach isn’t bound to watch the matches. But if he is in Dhaka, he will watch domestic matches. He wants to watch the [Dhaka Premier League] matches tomorrow,” he said.

Farewell to Martin Crowe

Full coverage of the death of Martin Crowe

17-Mar-2016March 11
News – Martin Crowe farewelled in Auckland
March 7
Ed Smith – The torture makes the genius?
Inbox – The regal genius of Martin Crowe
March 5
Tribute – ‘Family man, genius, and NZ’s finest ever’
March 4
Mark Nicholas – Marty goes to rest
March 3
News – Martin Crowe dies aged 53
Obituary – Martin the invincible
Timeline – The many colours of Crowe
Reactions – ‘The best I ever bowled against’ – Akram
The best of Crowe on ESPNcricinfo – A collection of Crowe’s columns on the site
Fan Memories – A fantasy come true
Stats analysis – The best Test batsman between 1985 and 1991
Andy Zaltzman – Magnificent Marty and jaunty Jack

NUFC: Lascelles proved his worth vs City

Newcastle United’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium capped off a bitter spell of form that has seen the outfit stumble during their commendable, European-chasing campaign.

The Magpies are enduring a five-match winless streak in the Premier League, also losing the Carabao Cup finale against Manchester United last weekend, and manager Eddie Howe will be hoping to pick up the pieces and galvanise his squad back into form ahead of the business end of the season.

A wondrous solo effort from Phil Foden was complemented by Bernardo Silva’s sweet second-half finish, and for all of the Tynesiders’ resilience and cohesion as a unit, they could not muster the requisite attacking impetus to silence the City crowd.

Now four points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur, albeit with two games in hand, Newcastle need to dust off the cobwebs of this indifferent spell of form and forge a path back to prominence.

Howe will demand contribution from every inch of his squad, which is why Jamaal Lascelles’ performance in the den of the current league champions will have been most pleasing.

Did Lascelles prove his worth vs Man City?

Part of a £7m double signing from Nottingham Forest – alongside goalkeeper Karl Darlow – in 2014, Lascelles has been a stalwart for Newcastle, and while he has found opportunities harder to come by this term, the defeat against City only his second Premier League start of the season, his display adds an invaluable layer to his side’s depth.

And with Fabian Schar unavailable due to concussion, the 29-year-old stepped in and performed admirably, with imperious City talisman Erling Haaland restricted to two off-target strikes and conceding defeat in all three of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Sofascore also recorded Lascelles’ six clearances, invaluable in ensuring City were not provided total dominance in the away side’s offensive third, also completing 83% of his passes and recording 60 touches despite City’s ball-playing excellence.

The Newcastle Chronicle bestowed a 7/10 match rating upon the Englishman, who last started against Liverpool last October, saying: “Did what he does well and routinely cleared. And will be one of the few defenders to stop Haaland scoring, excellently setting tone with crunch tackle early on. A decent return despite defeat. Man of the match.”

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson also lauded Lascelles as among “the top marks” for his contribution, and should Howe require his presence for the forthcoming fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers, he is in good stead to continue his resurgence and impress once again.

While record £63m summer signing Alexander Isak will earn the plaudits for his efforts off the bench, looking lively and leaving journalist Josh Bunting remarking that Newcastle are “at their most dangerous” when he is on the pitch, Lascelles’ display was invaluable in reminding the manager of his depth.

Isak managed a shot on target and a blocked attempt, completing his only dribble attempt and won both of his ground duels; his offensive effort was impressive, and Howe can take solace from both the attacking impact of his star signing and the defensive work of utility option Lascelles.

The Caribbean's massive undertaking for the 2007 World Cup

Will the region be ready to host 100,000 cricket fans in seven months?

Andrew Miller05-Jul-2006In the Caribbean, the magnitude of the task that awaits the region next March is slowly beginning to dawn. Too slowly for comfort, in theopinion of many observers. In seven months’ time, the curtain will be raised on the ninth cricket World Cup, and at present the preparationsare lagging behind on all fronts.Yesterday Chris Dehring, the tournament director, finally confirmed what the rest of the world had already worked out – the influx of100,000 cricket fans, on top of the usual peak-season demands of the Caribbean tourist industry, means that hotel rooms throughout theregion will be at a premium. “We don’t expect to satisfy the entire demand,” he admitted candidly. “It is really going to be a challenge.”Contingency plans are urgently being sought, including the option of using a fleet of cruise-liners as auxiliary accommodation, but thelogistics of the tournament are threatening to overwhelm the hosts. The rich heritage of West Indian cricket has long distracted from theground-level reality: never before has such a high-profile tournament been strung across so many small – and in some cases, tiny – countries.In total, nine sovereign states with a combined population of roughly seven million (which would barely place them in the world’s top 100)are being asked to pull together to create the third biggest sporting event in the world. It is a huge undertaking for some of the world’ssmallest economies. In terms of Gross Domestic Product, five of the participants – Antigua, St Lucia, Guyana, Grenada and St Kitts & Nevis – are among the smallest 21 in the world, and only Trinidad & Tobago (89) features in the top 100 (out of 180).The Caribbean’s enduring popularity with tourists means that the poverty of much of the region has long been overlooked. The situationis not so very different from expecting Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Senegal to cut deals with their neighbours (and rivals) to host theOlympics or football World Cup. It is notable that neither of these events has yet taken place in Africa, and when the football doesfinally arrive in 2010, it will be held exclusively in resource-rich South Africa.The Trelawny pitch is rolled for the first time, as Jamaica steps up preparations for the World Cup•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerLast week, Cricinfo was invited to Jamaica, where West Indies themselves and Pakistan are to be based for the event. The World Cupwas the only topic on anyone’s lips. Unfortunately, it was the wrong World Cup. At present, everything stops for football. Taxi driverssimply won’t budge while a match is in progress, meetings have to be delayed to accommodate penalty shoot-outs. And all the while, theclock ticks down as vital preparations remain unaddressed.Nowhere is this more apparent than in the state of the island’s venues. Last week, the disrepair at Sabina Park was showcased to theworld as West Indies slipped to defeat in the fourth Test against India. A recent cement shortage, coupled with industrial action fromthe Jamaican workforce, meant that the great ground was just a husk of its former (and future) self. Only the George Headley stand and theKingston Cricket Club pavilion were still in operation – which amounts to barely one third of the projected 21,000 capacity.And further to the north, there is the Greenfields Stadium at Trelawny. Cut from virgin scrubland and perched scenically on the topof a hill near the coast, it is the venue for the tournament’s opening ceremony and a selection of warm-up matches. Greenfields is intendedto become a prime sporting location, but at present it is just another building site, served by a single dirt track and presided over by aclutch of 110 Chinese labourers, in whose hands the island’s entire construction project seems to have been placed.China’s involvement in the Caribbean is controversial but far-reaching, and as the clock ticks down, increasingly essential. As Lyndon James, the venue manager at Greenfields, admitted, their work ethic is “very different” to that of the Jamaican population, as demonstrated by the countdown board outside their on-site compound, declaring “xxx days [sic] hard work left”.”Hopefully some of their attitude will rub off on our guys,” added James, although seeing as the interaction between the two camps wasvirtually nil, there seemed little prospect of that. The state of the wicket was none too encouraging either. In March, the JamaicaGleaner reported optimistically that the square could be ready for matches as early as June.Chinatown at Trelawny: Jamaica’s new stadium is reliant on immigrant workers•Andrew Miller/Andrew MillerIn fact, July was just days away when we saw it being rolled for the first time, under the supervision of Sabina Park’s groundsman, PatGordon – arguably the least relaxed Jamaican on the island. “We won’t know what it’ll be like until we play on it,” he stated baldly. Otherwell-placed sources confided that the ground is so remote that, after the tournament has been done and dusted, it may never again hostanother cricket match.The saddest aspect of the tournament preparations is that there seems to be little attempt to engage the local population in the activities- although seeing as they are sure to be priced out of most of the matches, it is hardly surprising that such apathy is taking hold. ACategory 1 ticket to matches at St Kitts costs US$420, roughly two months’ wages for the average blue-collar worker, while the ICCregulations stipulate that Kingston Cricket Club members have to pay for entry to their own pavilion at Sabina Park, a move that hasbeen met with predictable resentment.Perversely, what the region needs is to be cut some slack. The Caribbean lifestyle is as languid as it gets, and for all the currentfrustrations, it is this inimitable trait that will provide the World Cup with its best and most reliable failsafe. “No problem!” is Jamaica’s catchphrase, as reprinted on countless souvenir T-shirts. For those who do sample the country’s hotels, beaches, cocktails andnightlife, the experience promises to be unforgettable.What is less clear, however, is the extent of the legacy that will remain when the eyes of the world are averted once again. At present, there is little excitement, little involvement, and little evidence that the third-greatest show on earth is coming to town. It’ll be alright on the night, as these things usually are, but will the Caribbean reinvent itself in the manner that Germany has done through the football World Cup this past month? On the current evidence, the answer has to be “no”.

فيديو | زيزو يسجل هدف الزمالك الأول أمام المصري

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك في إحراز الهدف الأول بشباك منافسه المصري، بالمباراة الجارية بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات الكونفدرالية.

ويواجه الزمالك نظيره المصري، على ملعب استاد برج العرب بالإسكندرية، في الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات لبطولة الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ويقود فريق نادي الزمالك الليلة جهاز فني مؤقت بقيادة أحمد مجدي، بعد رحيل جوزيه جوميز لتولي مهمة الفتح السعودي.

هيثم فاروق: الزمالك أحبط مخطط علي ماهر.. ومصطفى غربال غير مريح

وسجل هدف اللقاء الأول أحمد مصطفى زيزو في الدقيقة 63 من عمر اللقاء، بتسديدة من على حدود منطقة الجزاء.

ويتواجد فريقا الزمالك والمصري، في المجموعة الرابعة ببطولة الكونفدرالية، التي تضم إلى جوارهما إنيمبا النيجيري وبلاك بولز مابوتو الموزمبيقي.

ويحتل الزمالك صدارة المجموعة برصيد 4 نقاط متساويًا مع المصري صاحب الوصافة ولكن يتفوق الأبيض بفارق الأهداف.

ترتيب المجموعة الرابعة في الكونفدرالية بعد فوز الزمالك على المصري

وكان الزمالك قد حقق الفوز في مستهل مشواره في بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، على بلاك بولز 2-0، وتعادل مع إنيمبا في الجولة الثانية 2-2.

على الجانب الآخر، حقق فريق المصري الفوز على إنيمبا 2-0 في الجولة الأولى، بينما تعادل 1-1 مع بلاك بولز في الجولة الثانية. هدف الزمالك الأول أمام المصري في الكونفدرالية

Leeds: Another key player has now suffered serious injury after Spence

Leeds United have been rocked by news that another one of their key men has now suffered a serious injury concern at Elland Road, as per recent reports.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

According to German outlet BILD, Eintracht Frankfurt are considering making Robin Koch's loan spell at Deutsche Bank Park into a permanent one in 2024. It is unclear whether Leeds United would be willing to agree to any such proposal; however, it should be noted that Koch has impressed since arriving back in Germany in the summer.

On Thursday night, the 27-year-old defender netted the winner for Eintracht Frankfurt in their 2-1 victory at home in the Europa Conference League over Aberdeen, lending further credence to the thought of him potentially leaving and netting Leeds United some extra cash back in the coffers, as per BBC Sport.

Cited by Leeds Live, Leeds United loanee Djed Spence is injured and will miss the Whites' Sky Bet Championship clash against Watford this weekend. Patrick Bamford and Stuart Dallas are back in full training; however, Junior Firpo is still sidelined and Joe Rodon will be suspended for the visit of the Hornets owing to his dismissal in Leeds United's 0-0 draw away to Hull City in midweek, as per Sky Sports.

Last week, it was reported by Football Insider that Leeds were keen to open contract talks with attacker Wilfried Gnonto meanwhile, who has come off the back of a summer of uncertainty due to interest from Premier League outfit Everton in his services. Nevertheless, he is now focused on Leeds United and the upcoming campaign.

Who is injured now?

Despite positive news that the Whites are keen on renewing Gnonto's contract at Elland Road, BBC journalist Adam Pope has issued a worrying update detailing that the Italy international has sustained a serious injury concern.

Referencing several of his other teammates in addition, Pope took to social media platform X to say: "Farke says Gnonto is out with lateral ligament damage to his ankle. Not sure on his return time. Ampadu is fine. Dallas will be quite a few weeks away from 1st team action."

wilfried-gnonto-leeds-united-transfer-injury-daniel-james-jaidon-anthony

19-year-old Gnonto has mustered six appearances for Leeds United across all competitions this campaign, registering a solitary goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt. Demonstrating his ability to cause regular problems for opposition backlines to contend with, Gnonto has had an average of around 1.8 shots per game and completed around 2.6 successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Sky Bet Championship this term, according to WhoScored.

Nevertheless, his injury concern will come as a bitter blow to Leeds and Farke, who are hoping to climb into the playoff positions this weekend if they can see off Watford at home. Whether his injury lay-off impacts his contract negotiations at the club will also be another concern, though for now, their only hope will be that he is not out of action for too long.

West Ham Makes Approach For "Rolls Royce" Player

Ahead of the Premier League season, there may have been some concern about how West Ham United would cope without Declan Rice, who completed a reported £105m move to Arsenal in the summer. However, the Hammers have since got off to an incredible start, however.

In their opening three Premier League games, David Moyes' side have drawn against Bournemouth and defeated both Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 to remain unbeaten.

They have brought in a number of new players, using the funds they received for Rice, and now they have reportedly made an approach to add yet another reinforcement.

What's the latest West Ham United transfer news?

West Ham have welcomed four fresh faces this summer, including both James Ward-Prowse and Mohammed Kudus. Kudus, having only recently signed for the Hammers, is yet to make his debut, but after scoring 18 goals and assisting a further seven for Ajax last season, it may come as little surprise if he got off to a blistering start at the London Stadium.

Having landed targets who are capable of making an instant difference, it now seems as though West Ham are turning their attention towards the future.

According to Sky Sports' James Savundra, the London club have made an initial approach to sign Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards before the transfer window slams shut in a matter of days, although the player has been tracked by a host of Premier League clubs.

The 20-year-old has become a key player for the League One side, starting six of their seven games so far this season. With that said, West Ham's approach may need to be a convincing one, if Peterborough are to sell their young defender in the coming days.

How good is Ronnie Edwards?

Peterborough defender Ronnie Edwards.

Signing a 20-year-old centre-back who already has almost 100 first-team appearances to his name could represent a piece of incredibly shrewd business for those at West Ham in the final days of the window.

The only way appears to be up for Edwards, given how quickly he has become a key part of the set-up at Peterborough, and he now holds a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.

Last season, the 20-year-old, of course, suffered the ultimate play-off heartbreak, when Peterborough were on the other side of Sheffield Wednesday's incredible comeback from 4-0 down on aggregate to eventually win on penalties.

Edwards started both games, and has since shown a strong character to bounce back at such a young age, and keep his place under Darren Ferguson.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Throughout what is still a young career, he has earned plenty of deserved praise, too, including from Peterborough director Barry Fry, who said, via Football Transfers:

"Ronnie is a Rolls Royce. We knew that when we signed him.

"I used to watch a lot of under 18s football at Barnet as well as Posh and I told the gaffer about him. And when we brought him in for a game Darren watched him for 20 minutes and told me to sign him.

"Spurs were watching him at the time and Brentford were very keen on him. In fact Brentford were so upset when we did the deal they complained to the FA!"

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