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Chelsea remain the 'most likely' destination for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo to end up this summer, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Moises Caicedo?

Chelsea were reported to have joined the race just under a week ago, and things look to have picked up since then.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the state of play surrounding Caicedo and Chelsea, stating on Twitter: "Understand Chelsea will continue talks with Brighton for Moisés Caicedo next week. Clubs will be in direct contact as negotiations are ongoing. Chelsea hope to find a solution soon as personal terms are not an issue, Moisés already said yes to Chelsea. Talks on."

Rudy Galetti, who is also a journalist, has issued a further development in the Blues' quest to land the £60k-a-week ace on Twitter, stating: "Moises Caicedo, the talks between Chelsea and Brighton are entering in the final stage. Understand the 2 clubs agreed the fixed amount of the transfer (~£75m) and now they are discussing the add-ons. Moises is keen to join CFC and he’s pushing for the move."

The Athletic have alternatively provided information that suggests Brighton could demand a colossal £100 million fee to part ways with the Ecuador international this off-season.

The Seagulls are believed to have benchmarked the price bracket that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is being quoted at amid interest from Arsenal and think that Caicedo is every bit as good, if not better, than the England international.

Football Insider detail that Chelsea are 'increasingly confident of securing an agreement' to bring Caicedo to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs believes that somewhere around the £80 million mark would be a more realistic fee structure for Caicedo than the reported £100 million demand from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Jacobs said: "Of course, you'd expect Brighton to try and get the best possible deal. But I understand that Caicedo will be a lot closer to £80m than £100m and Chelsea, not Manchester United, remains the most likely destination at this point."

Would Moises Caicedo be a good signing for Chelsea?

It's hard to argue otherwise when you take his meteoric rise at the Amex Stadium into account, which has paved the way for high-profile interest from the likes of Chelsea to become apparent this window.

Last season, Caicedo, who has been hailed as a "monster", made 43 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Caicedo also managed an average of 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per match in the Premier League across 2022/23, making his presence known at the heart of the Seagulls' engine room, according to WhoScored.

Driving his side forward from midfield, the Ecuadorian enforcer successfully completed 88 shot-creating actions in the English top flight and showed his desire to help offensive moves, as per FBRef.

Mauricio Pochettino looks to be hard at work as he looks to secure his preferred targets and Caicedo may well be the next in line to pitch up in SW6.

Likely first-choice XI

Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, Suresh Raina (capt), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ishan Kishan, James Faulkner, Praveen Kumar, Shadab Jakati, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shivil Kaushik

Reserves

Batsmen – Jason Roy, Chirag Suri, Jaydev Shah, Pratham SinghBowlers – Andrew Tye, Manpreet Gony, Munaf Patel, Pradeep Sangwan, Nathu Singh, Basil Thampi, Shelley Shaurya, Tejas BarokaAllrounders – Dwayne Bravo, Shubham Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshdeep Nath

Strengths

A robust top order. Gujarat Lions were the only team last year to score 70 or more in the Powerplay – a feat they achieved four times. Five of their batsmen – Suresh Raina, Aaron Finch, Brendon McCullum, Dinesh Karthik and Dwayne Smith – aggregated more than 300 runs; no other team had more than three.Lions also have an effective new-ball pair in Dhawal Kulkarni and Praveen Kumar. Kulkarni’s 14 wickets in the Powerplay were the most for any bowler in 2016, and it went well with the miserliness of Praveen, who has the second-best economy rate (6.27) for an Indian in Powerplays over the last five years.

Weaknesses

Their lower-middle order has underwhelmed. Dwayne Bravo and James Faulkner, who would be expected to finish innings off, have not been up to the mark over their last two seasons in the IPL. Bravo averaged 21 with a strike-rate of 125, and Faulkner’s corresponding figures were 14 and 120.Lions also lack bench strength, which may hurt them upfront as Bravo is out injured early on and Ravindra Jadeja will sit out of the first few games after a long Test season. They will be wary of batting first as well, having lost five out of six matches doing so, including two Qualifiers.

Where they finished in 2016, and what’s different this year?

Table-toppers at the end of the league stage, Lions finished third after defeats in the two Qualifiers to Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.Lions let go of eight players, but the core group largely remained intact. The injured Dale Steyn was the only overseas talent they released.After their bowling caved in clutch moments last year, Lions made concerted investments in experienced IPL campaigners like Munaf Patel and Manpreet Gony, apart from fresh recruits Nathu Singh and Basil Thampi – the Kerala quick who has a reputation of hitting 140 kph.They also retained left-arm wristspinner Shivil Kaushik, who had a stint with Hull County Cricket Club in England following the IPL last year.Lions will kickstart their season without Ravindra Jadeja, who has been in imperious form recently•BCCI

What have their players been up to?

• Jadeja had unflattering returns of eight wickets from 40.1 overs in the IPL last year. But his form during India’s home season still makes him an integral member of the side. Jadeja bagged 71 wickets in 13 home Tests – the third-highest ever in a season – and scored 556 runs. However, he will miss the first couple of weeks, having been advised rest by the BCCI medical staff.
• Dinesh Karthik was the driving force behind Tamil Nadu clinching the Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy titles. Karthik amassed 854 runs in 12 innings – the fourth-highest in a List A season in India. He notched up match-winning centuries in both finals, in addition to four half-centuries in his last nine 50-over games. Earlier, his 704 runs in ten matches steered Tamil Nadu to the Ranji Trophy semi-final.
• With improved rhythm and added pace, Kulkarni took a hat-trick for India B in the Deodhar Trophy opener against India A. He then ran through Tamil Nadu’s top order in the final with a five-for and topped the tournament’s bowling charts with 11 wickets in three games.
• Aaron Finch, Lions’ second-highest run-scorer in their debut season, has been prolific both at the international and domestic levels. He was second on the batting charts in the latest Big Bash League, with 354 runs in eight games. He then churned out 108 runs in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. His purple patch extended into first-class cricket, too, with 581 runs in the Sheffield Shield, including a second-innings 83 in the final that propelled Victoria to their third consecutive title.

Overseas-player availability

Bravo’s hamstring injury, sustained in the BBL last year, will keep him out for the first few matches. Chirag Suri, IPL’s first recruit from the UAE, is likely to be available throughout, including Lions’ first two fixtures, against Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, despite UAE’s Intercontinental Cup match against Papua New Guinea, beginning on April 7. Jason Roy will leave on May 1 as England tour Ireland for an ODI series.

Home and away record in 2016

With five victories in seven matches, Lions had a marginally better away record than at home, where they won four in seven. While they earned six wins from their first seven matches, their form took a hit with back-to-back losses in Rajkot – their original home – against Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Daredevils. Successive wins after shifting base to Kanpur gave them a top-two finish.

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Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale appears to have responded to Jamie Carragher’s “Oscars” jibe by pointing out that he has always been a team player.

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Arteta favouring Raya at presentEngland international on the benchSupporting team-mates from the sidelinesWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international has lost his place in the Gunners team over recent weeks, with Mikel Arteta favouring summer signing David Raya between the sticks. That has left Ramsdale stuck on the sidelines, with a role among the substitutes being taken up.

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It was while occupying a spot on the bench during a thrilling north London derby clash with arch-rivals Tottenham that Ramsdale was spotted applauding Raya for a stunning save from Brennan Johnson. Carragher said on Sky Sports afterwards of the cameras cutting to Ramsdale: “I thought it was like the Oscars, you know when someone loses the Oscar and they start clapping and smiling for the other person. I was laughing when I saw that. He's absolutely devastated with that really.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Said comments attracted criticism from Ramsdale’s father, who replied to a tweet about Carragher’s quip by saying: “You are a disgrace!! Show some class!! My lad has.” The 25-year-old shot-stopper has now shared images within an Instagram story of him previously celebrating the exploits of team-mates.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ramsdale has posted an image from his time at Bournemouth, which shows him celebrating with fellow goalkeeper Mark Travers following a penalty shootout victory, while also including a picture of him joining in the celebrations which accompanied Reiss Nelson’s dramatic winner against Bournemouth last season. Ramsdale may find himself back in action for Arsenal on Wednesday as Mikel Arteta is expected to make changes for a Carabao Cup third-round clash with Brentford.

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Ashwin picked up his 24th five-for to wrap up the Mumbai Test by an innings and 36 runs and the series 3-0 for India

The Report by Alagappan Muthu12-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details23:20

Sourav Ganguly and Jonathan Trott discuss India’s emphatic victory over England in the Mumbai Test

With a victory over England by an innings and 36 runs, India have secured their fifth consecutive series and regained the Anthony De Mello trophy. R Ashwin picked up his second five-for of the match, and the 24th of his career, to make sure the formalities were complete by the first half hour on the fifth day. He took his first wicket when the visitors were 180 for 4. They were all out for 195. It was only the third time in Test history that a team had made 400 in the first innings and then lost by an innings.The end was very quick and very messy. Jonny Bairstow was sent packing in the second over and Chris Woakes in the fourth. Their dismissals provided a simple little summary of the difference in skill between the sides in subcontinent conditions.Ashwin flicked a carrom ball on middle and leg with the intention of making Bairstow play across the line and the batsman obliged. Bairstow failed to pick the variation, was squared up when the ball turned the wrong way, and sharply, and was plumb lbw. Woakes, in the next Ashwin over, went for a loose cover drive, but the ball dipped on him and stormed through the gate to hit the stumps. Reading the ball out of the hand is key to playing on turning tracks, as is avoiding strokes that have a high degree of risk, like hitting against the break.Adil Rashid gave an example of the other thing batsmen weren’t supposed to do: throw their wicket away. He lobbed a catch to deep midwicket off Ashwin’s third over. James Anderson came out and was promptly pulled into some polite conversation by the close-in fielders after his criticism of their captain. He popped a catch to midwicket to give Ashwin his sixth wicket and the best match figures by a spinner at Wankhede stadium – 12 for 167.With the win in Mumbai, India were unbeaten for 17 matches in a row – equalling their longest such streak in Test cricket.

One of football's worst-kept secrets has finally been brought out into the open, with the France forward signing a six-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have finally got their man: Christopher Nkunku has signed a six-year deal with the club and will begin work at Cobham on July 1. It's a move that's been a long time coming, with the Blues agreeing a pre-contract with the 25-year-old late last year, and committing to paying RB Leipzig more than his £53 million ($68m) release clause to get the transfer done early. They'll hope he's worth the wait.

Despite the fact he has been an outstanding performer in the Bundesliga since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, making 90 goal contributions in 119 appearances, Chelsea's decision to splurge yet more of their riches on attacking player will raise many an eyebrow.

So, where does Nkunku fit into the Blues' plans with Mauricio Pochettino set to begin work as manager? GOAL assesses their options below…

• Getty
  

  A versatile option

  It's unlikely that Chelsea have a clearly defined plan for where to play Nkunku. Indeed, a contract was agreed with him when Graham Potter was still in charge, and their interest dates back even further than that, so he certainly isn't a Pochettino signing or coming to play a bespoke role.

  However, what's clear is that the player's adaptability and ability to play across the attack were attractive for the west London club. Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, said: "Christopher has proved himself one of the standout attacking players in European football over the past two seasons and will add quality, creativity and versatility to our squad."

  But what are the roles he is capable of playing, and where would he fit best?

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• Getty Images
  

  Nkunku's preferred position

  Nkunku will begin work at Chelsea on the very same day as new head coach Pochettino, which may prove serendipitous for a player who may not have fitted as seamlessly into the back-three shape deployed by recent Blues managers.

  The Argentine has always preferred the 4-2-3-1 formation, which would most likely accommodate Nkunku as a No.10 in attacking midfield or even higher up behind a central striker, with Enzo Fernandez and potentially Moises Caicedo behind him. The advanced midfield role is the France international's preferred position.

  Speaking to earlier this year, he said: “I think that (attacking midfield) is a position that suits me well. Close to the goal behind a striker. That describes me as a player nicely so I always like playing in this role.”

• GOAL
  

  An old school second striker

  Although it's only a small positional shift, Nkunku is equally as comfortable and effective further up the pitch playing just off a striker. Indeed, despite preferring to play a bit deeper, he was most often deployed as an old school second striker in 2022-23, making 17 goal contributions in as many games there.

  Indeed, the player himself is equally happy in that position. "I think that's a role that works for me, it reflects my play style," he said. "I sometimes prefer a role a bit closer to one of the forwards but I still enjoy playing in this area of the pitch."

  A 5-3-2 shape, which was occasionally used by Potter during his short-lived tenure, would accommodate Nkunku slotting in there. Chelsea's main issue is they don't have a centre-forward for him to play off as it stands, with both Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seemingly heading for an exit, although young Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson is a likely incoming transfer.

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  'Solution' to Chelsea's goalscoring woes?

  So, if Chelsea don't have a conventional, experienced No.9 for Nkunku to play alongside, could he be the man to play up top himself? Well, don't rule it out. It has been reported that Chelsea are determined not to panic in their search for a new striker, and there is a belief at Stamford Bridge that Nkunku can provide a short-term solution to what has been a long-term problem.

  Leipzig manager Marco Rose regularly deployed the Frenchman up front at the back-end of 2022-23, and he produced the goods – scoring five times and laying on three more in just five games in that role. Indeed, this is a player who has never had issues finding the back of the net, with 70 goals to his name in 172 appearances for Die Roten Bullen.

  Speaking earlier in June, Nkunku insisted he is ready and able to play there if required: "I play where the coach decides. I don’t want to be a problem but a solution. But I can be in front, in support or on the sides. I have this ability to adapt – I like to be free.”

Leeds United find themselves in a precarious position with just two Premier League games left this season as their future in the top flight hangs in the balance.

The Whites head into the weekend one point inside the relegation zone ahead of their clash with West Ham United tomorrow, and Sam Allardyce will be hoping he can do everything in his power to avoid sending the club back into the Championship at the end of next week.

It has been a tumultuous season for Leeds supporters, with the former England manager becoming the third man to take charge at Elland Road following the sackings of Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia, with the board unable to find the recipe to replicate their more comfortable campaigns in the top flight.

As a result, all plans for the summer transfer window will likely be on hold until the West Yorkshire outfit seal their fate at around 6.30pm next weekend, but either way, Andrea Radrizzani will need to find ways to improve the squad and the performances on the pitch with the right recruitment strategy.

In fact, the Leeds owner could save millions in the summer by encouraging the promotion of young talent, with Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen thriving in the youth setup and already impressing Allardyce.

Who is Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen?

Last year, the young centre-back had his contract extended to 2025 after making impressive strides in his development and has since gone from strength to strength.

This week, Chilokoa-Mullen scored an incredible volley in a Premier League 2 play-off victory for the U21s against Nottingham Forest and was rewarded with a senior training call-up yesterday at Thorp Arch in the preparations for the crucial clash with West Ham.

Over his two Football League Trophy performances this season, the 18-year-old – hailed for his "really strong" partnership with Joe Littlewood by coach Mark Jackson – has been a huge defensive presence averaging 76 touches, 49.5 accurate passes, three interceptions, 3.5 tackles, 1.5 clearances and a whopping eight duels won per game.

The Scottish teenage sensation could even be the perfect player to develop into Liam Cooper's heir, which Leeds will eventually need as the club captain and experienced centre-back is now 31 years old and reaching the latter stages of his career.

With that being said, it is clear the future is bright for Chilokoa-Mullen if he continues to impress in the academy and senior training opportunities, and it will be interesting to see if the club push for his inclusion in the first team next season, especially if they suffer relegation to the second tier.

Tottenham Hotspur are now expected to make a move for Lille striker Jonathan David this summer, according to recent reports from France.

Will Tottenham need to sign a striker this summer?

There is every chance that Tottenham will need to bring in a new striker in the summer window, as Harry Kane's future remains up in the air, amid interest from the likes of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and even Chelsea.

Spurs have already started to run the rule over potential replacements for the striker, with Brighton & Hove Albion forward Evan Ferguson believed to be of interest, while they have also kept tabs on Brentford's Ivan Toney.

The Lilywhites have been linked with a move for David in the past, and given the uncertainty surrounding Kane's future, they are considering whether to launch a summer bid.

According to a report from L'Equipe (via Sport Witness), Tottenham are expected to make a move for the Lille marksman as soon as they appoint a new manager, and his current club are resigned to losing him in the upcoming window.

The report details that Spurs have started to look at a number of options to replace Kane, and the 23-year-old fits the bill, although there will be stiff competition for his signature, with a number of Premier League sides also plotting moves.

Chelsea and Manchester United are listed as potential suitors, while there is also a possibility the Canadian could remain in Ligue 1, given that Paris Saint-Germain are named as an interested party.

Should Tottenham sign David?

Priority number one for Tottenham should undoubtedly be to get Kane to sign a new contract, given just how important he is to the team, scoring 24 Premier League goals this season, the second-highest amount in the league.

However, if Spurs are forced to enter the market for a new forward, David could be a fantastic replacement, having enjoyed a fantastic season in Ligue 1, scoring 21 goals, second to only Kylian Mbappe in the French top flight.

The £36k-per-week marksman has been hailed as "one of the best strikers in the world" by members of the media, and his goal return in France indicates he could go on to be a top Premier League striker.

At 23 years old, the Canada international also has plenty of time to develop even further, though it may be very difficult to win the race for his signature if Tottenham do not have Champions League football to offer next season.

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.

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

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.