Everton midfielder Amadou Onana isn't going to 'look to drive' a potential exit from the club this summer despite speculation over his future, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Amadou Onana?

According to The Daily Mail, Everton are under pressure to sell Onana this summer as financial problems threaten to derail Sean Dyche's plans to rebuild his side ahead of next term.

The report states that Everton are in need of another major sale alongside Anthony Gordon's £45 million exit to Newcastle United in January to balance the books, as they are in 'special measures' with the Premier League due to hemorrhaging a loss of over £370 million over the last three years.

Football Insider claim that Onana could be sold for up to £60 million in the off-season to generate transfer funds in light of their financial restrictions.

Manchester United are keen on the £100k-a-week ace; however, he also has interest from other clubs in the English top-flight in his services.

As per The Sun, they reported earlier this year that Onana is a target for Chelsea and they previously held an attraction towards him in the January transfer window.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that any prospective Onana exit this summer will be driven by the club and their desire to recoup transfer funds rather than by the player himself.

Jones told FFC: "If they are under pressure to sell him, it won't come from him. I think that that's quite important to point out; he's not going to look to drive anything here, even though he's been one of their best players no doubt."

Would losing Amadou Onana be a blow for Everton?

Losing Onana would be a sizable blow for Everton this summer. However, the unfortunate reality of their financial situation means that they may have to sell one or two star men to get out of hot water with the Premier League.

In 2022/23, Onana made 35 appearances in all competitions for Everton, registering one goal and two assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also takes into account that the Belgium international was strong in the tackle across the campaign, successfully winning 2.2 challenges per match in the English top flight.

As per FBRef, Onana has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions in the art of aerial duels won, having averaged around 2.17 per game across the last 365 days, putting him in the seventh percentile for this metric.

Everton will be desperate to keep hold of Onana despite interest in his services, though the decision may be taken out of his hands as the club look to balance the books at Goodison Park.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, who could be an astute alternative to Bayer Leverkusen centre-half Edmond Tapsoba.

What's the latest on Aymeric Laporte to Tottenham?

According to 90min, Spurs have identified their top defensive target in the Bundesliga Burkina Faso ace, though mounting interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United could throw a spanner in the works.

Laporte has been a stalwart for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City since signing for £57m in 2018 but has fallen down the pecking order and has subsequently been touted for a £40m departure from the Etihad Stadium.

The Spain international has two years remaining on his Citizens deal but new Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will be determined to catch his man after a disastrous defensive year in the top flight.

Should Tottenham sign Aymeric Laporte?

Laporte is one of the most distinguished and illustrious centre-backs in the history of English football, having completed the treble this season to take his trophy haul in Manchester to five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and the Champions League.

The French-born Spain star has made 179 appearances across all competitions for the Sky Blues, but after starting just 11 times in the top flight this year, he might feel that his time under Guardiola's wing is at an end.

The 29-year-old has been hailed as the "best left-central defender in the world" by his club manager, but with his diminishing amount of action on the pitch, compounded by news of the club's vested interest in RB Leipzig sensation Josko Gvardiol, searching for new pastures might be the best option.

And at Spurs he would cement his name as a first-rate star, spearheading the resurgence from the back and complementing Postecoglou's possession-based style, with club chairman Daniel Levy saying: "Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play."

As per FBref, the 22-cap colossus ranks among the top 4% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for pass completion, and the top 1% for passes attempted, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90 – evidently, he holds his own with the ball at his feet.

Currently on £120k-per-week, Laporte could even be an affordable option for the Lilywhites, who crave some defensive fortitude after a fraught campaign that bore no European qualification and a dismal defensive record to better only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and the three relegated outfits.

But the pass master would also serve to make Ivan Perisic's creative game unplayable, with the Croatian gem sealing a move to north London from Inter on a free transfer last year.

Perisic frequented the left flank throughout the 22/23 term, scoring once and registering 12 assists from 44 matches, and with a coveted layer of assurance from someone of Laporte's ilk, who has averaged 1.8 tackles and 3.4 clearances across the duration of his career – via WhoScored – his playmaking prowess would only improve, especially considering Postecoglou's emphasis on versatile full-backs.

Especially since the 34-year-old veteran already ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for assists and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90; impressive metrics, and that's with a shoddy defensive foundation to build from.

Especially given a first-rate skill of the "beast" that is Laporte is playing out from the back – something that is an intrinsic component to a Pep Guardiola system – could add a whole new dimension to a Spurs team desperate for a route back to prominence, his signature must surely be sought this summer.

And if Levy and Postecoglou can pull it off, Tottenham could craft a successful season for themselves and expunge the poignancy of a calamitous campaign.

Manchester United are unlikely to sign Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane this summer and have given themselves plenty of time to identify alternatives in the transfer market, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

According to The Guardian, Manchester United have pulled out of the race to sign Harry Kane this summer due to the 'unrealistic' amount of money that it would take to lure him to Old Trafford.

The report states that Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag is 'disappointed' that he will not be able to add Kane to his squad; however, he understands that Manchester United need to be realistic when assessing potential transfer incomings.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has also gave an update regarding the future of Kane, stating on Twitter: "Manchester United are currently looking at other options for new striker as Harry Kane deal is not advancing at all. Man Utd feel Tottenham never wanted to sell Kane to them and have no plans to enter into two-months saga. Rasmus Højlund, one of the names in the list."

Capology understand that Kane earns around £200,000 per week at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a contract that runs until June 2024.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Manchester United have done the right thing by scoping out their chances of getting Kane early in the window rather than entering into a protracted transfer saga.

Jacobs told FFC: "The point of Manchester United moving early to explore the Harry Kane situation was not to be messed around and that was smart because the last thing Manchester United want is a saga over Harry Kane. They had this with Frenkie De Jong last summer and when you are pushing for a player at the value that Kane will be worth, £100 million plus, you obviously have to allocate that budget if you think you've got a realistic chance and as a consequence, if it drags on, it can overshadow other summer activity."

What other strikers have Manchester United been linked with?

As Jones stated, Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund is a target at Old Trafford, though it is believed that the Serie A outfit want to recoup £86 million in order to let go of their rising star this summer, according to The Daily Mail.

Telegraph Sport cite that Brighton & Hove Albion man Evan Ferguson, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic have also been linked with Manchester United in the window.

The Sun also report that Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos has been offered to Manchester United as their striker search continues to intensify.

Manchester United are likely to be linked with several other targets over the next few months, though Kane is unlikely to be one of them following recent developments.

Everton are interested in a move for Inter Milan forward Joaquin Correa, according to reports in Italy.

What's the latest on Joaquin Correa to Everton?

According to reports in Italy (via FC Inter News), both the Toffees and West Ham United have made contact with Correa so far this summer, with the forward and the Inter Milan looking to part ways after an unsuccessful spell.

Correa's current valuation is as low as £17m, as per FootballTransfers, which is a significantly lower price than the €30m (£27m) that Inter paid Lazio for the forward back in July of 2022.

The drop in valuation should help the Argentine's exit this summer, who looks set to leave the club just one year after making his deal permanent.

Linked with a move to the Premier League, it will certainly be interesting to keep an eye on just where Correa ends up this summer.

Should Everton avoid Joaquin Correa?

With their Premier League status hanging by a thread in the last two seasons, Everton can ill afford yet another transfer flop, particularly in attack.

Last season, the Toffees spent a staggering €78m (£67m) on reinforcements. And the season before that, they spent close to €40 million (£35m) on adding to supposed quality needed to comfortably survive.

Things were anything but comfortable though, as Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche were forced to keep their sides afloat on the final days of their respective seasons in charge, so the issue hasn't exactly been a lack of funding.

The problem therein lies with the recruitment in the transfer market.

In many ways, moving for Correa – a forward who scored just four goals all of last season – would be a classic Everton move of recent times.

In fact, it would almost mirror their £25.1m deal to sign Moise Kean back in 2019.

The Italian arrived with so much promise, before scoring just four goals in 39 appearances and eventually finding his way back to Juventus.

Those in Italy have not been impressed with the Juventus forward, either, with the Liverpool Echo reporting that Italian newspapers labelled the 23-year-old 'lazy' and 'the worst' back in September as the Serie A side struggled domestically.

Correa's stats are even more damming, however.

At least Kean showed signs of promise prior to his Goodison Park move. Correa, contrastingly, has never looked like bursting into life for Inter.

Statistically speaking, too, when comparing the Argentina international with the former Everton man during his time in England's top flight, it is Correa who comes out the worse player.

During the 2019/20 campaign, Kean had more goal involvements per 90, whilst also enjoying a better take-on success, as per FBref.

Perhaps a killer blow for Dyche, which should end all plans to sign the Inter flop, is his poor aerial duel success.

Last season, the reported transfer target won just 25% of his duels, something that would not bode well in an often scrappy, yet effective, Dyche setup.

The more that it's looked at, the more it seems as though Everton would be better off avoiding a Kean mistake in signing Correa, who writer Jerry Mancini claimed had been "awful this season" before the new campaign gets underway.

In their first innings, New Zealand lost their tenth wicket in unusual circumstances, when the third umpire ruled Neil Wagner run out despite his having grounded his bat before wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan’s flick had disturbed the bails

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2017In their first innings in Christchurch, New Zealand lost their tenth wicket in unusual circumstances, when the third umpire ruled Neil Wagner run out despite his having grounded his bat before wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan’s flick had disturbed the bails.Rather than drag his bat past the crease, Wagner had plonked it in and then lifted it; at the point when the bails came off, Wagner’s entire body was past the crease, but entirely airborne, with his bat and both feet off the ground.Wagner would have been okay if his feet had touched ground within the crease at some point before the bails came off. He had, however, not done so yet. His feet had made their final contact with the ground before reaching the crease.According to Law 29 (batsman out of his ground), “(a) batsman shall be considered to be out of his ground unless his bat or some part of his person is grounded behind the popping crease at that end.”In October 2010, the MCC had changed the Law to rule that “if a running batsman, having grounded some part of his foot behind the popping crease, continues running further towards the wicket at that end and beyond, then any subsequent total loss of contact with the ground of both his person and his bat during his continuing forward momentum shall not be interpreted as being out of his ground.” Wagner, however, had yet to ground his foot when the bails came off, and was therefore run out.

Mohammad Azharuddin’s nomination papers for the post of HCA president were rejected on Saturday, thereby disqualifying him from contesting for the post

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jan-2017

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has been disqualified from contesting for the post of HCA president after his nomination papers were rejected by returning officer K Rajiv Reddy on Saturday.Uncertainty over whether Azharuddin’s life ban imposed by the BCCI had been lifted, and whether he was classified as an HCA voter, resulted in his disqualification.”(He had not given) a satisfactory explanation whether the BCCI ban on him in the wake of the match-fixing scandal was not lifted and that he failed to provide adequate proof that he was enrolled as a voter,” Reddy told the .Azharuddin said he wasn’t given a reason for the decision. “Right from the beginning, I think the process looked to me a little bit fraud. I gave them the court order also,” Azharuddin said. “People are misinformed. I think things should be put to rest. Court has given an order which has cleared me of everything.”The returning officer should answer my questions, but he is not present. I will go for a legal case. I think the Lodha Committee rules and orders are not followed at the HCA.”Azharuddin was banned for life after being found guilty of fixing matches in an investigation conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Azharuddin’s initial attempts of challenging the ban were unsuccessful, but in 2012, a division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled the BCCI ban illegal.Azharuddin, who filed his nomination papers representing the National Cricket Club on Tuesday morning, had said he didn’t “foresee any issue” with the BCCI ban.

On the back of a treble win at Manchester City, Bernardo Silva, at just 28, is still very much at the peak of his performance.You simply do not play an important part under Pep Guardiola without being at that level.Involved in as many as 15 goals last season, primarily from a midfield role, the Portuguese maestro is a player capable of playing for the very best clubs in the world.Silva could take his pick should he decide to leave Manchester City.So, it is understandable that links with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer have sparked concern.

What’s the latest on Bernardo Silva’s Manchester City future?

Silva has several options this summer, according to reports.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Portugal international has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, who consider him a top target this summer as they look to replace the Inter Miami-bound Lionel Messi.

Meanwhile, although interested, Barcelona will find a deal difficult to complete this summer due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.

Financial issues are not something that clubs in Saudi Arabia will have to worry about, however, and, according to Marca, Silva has emerged as a target for Saudi Arabia.

Silva could yet end up staying put at City, too, as the treble winners still hope to keep one of their star men.

Jamie Carragher has spoken out about the reports linking the midfielder with a move to Saudi Arabia, admitting his concern.

What has Jamie Carragher said about Bernardo Silva’s potential Saudi Arabia move?

Taken to Twitter to air his worries, Carragher said:

Which players have already moved to Saudi Arabia?

Carragher’s concern comes as little surprise when considering the players to have already made the move to Saudi Arabia this summer.

So far, we’ve seen Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante join Al-Ittihad Club from Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively, whilst Ruben Neves has all but completed a move to Al Hilal.

Meanwhile, Kalidou Koulibaly has also been linked with a move to Al-Hilal, Edouard Mendy has been linked with Al-Ahli and Hakim Ziyech has similarly been linked with Al-Nassr in what is a summer dominated by moves to Saudi Arabia.

Chelsea are holding “contact and talks” regarding a deal to bring Gabri Veiga to the Premier League, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

How good is Gabri Veiga?

Veiga is a central midfielder who currently plays his football for Celta Vigo in La Liga, having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to graduate from their academy. He’s now become a regular feature of the first-team, clocking up 55 senior appearances to date.

The Spaniard still has another three years to run on his contract at the Balaidos Stadium, but after establishing himself as his homeland outfit’s second top-performing offensive player last season, has been highlighted as an ideal transfer target by Mauricio Pochettino.

Reliable reporter Rudy Galetti revealed earlier this month that the Blues are one of several clubs to have “shown interest” in the 21-year-old, whilst Jacob Steinberg later claimed that a bid "could arrive soon”, and if the following update is to be believed, the two parties may already be discussing a switch to Stamford Bridge.

Are Chelsea signing Veiga?

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Chelsea are currently in negotiations with Celta Vigo and Veiga regarding a move ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

“Gabri Veiga is ready for the next step now. He will leave Celta Vigo. His management is considering many options as he could become a future top player in central midfield. Contact and talks with CFC and others. Release clause of around €40m [£34m] – confirmed. Bayern is not involved.”

Should Boehly make a bid for Veiga?

Chelsea will know that Veiga only being 21 means he would be more of an investment for the long-term future of the club, but having already started to show what he’s capable of on the main stage, Todd Boehly should certainly consider tabling an offer to secure his services.

The Gol International client – the same agency used by Christopher Nkunku – posted 15 goal contributions (11 goals and four assists) in 36 La Liga appearances last season, form which saw him collect three man-of-the-match awards, but the central midfielder was also a threat even when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

The Spain U21s starlet was averaging 3.14 shot-creating actions per league game which was the second-highest number in his squad, via FBRef, so he’s always looking to produce moments of quality for his fellow teammates.

Veiga has been lauded an “electric” player by journalist Fabrizio Romano for his youthful pace and energetic nature, so should he put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Pochettino.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could make an 'interesting' move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia this summer as part of an 'overhaul in their midfield' under Julen Lopetegui, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Geoffrey Kondogbia?

As per AS via Sport Witness, Wolves courted Kondogbia in the January transfer window and have now decided to return to try and secure his signature this summer.

Old Gold boss Lopetegui is seemingly keen to strengthen his engine room in the off-season and Kondogbia has been identified as someone who 'fits' the bill at Molineux. It is believed that Atletico Madrid expect to accumulate between €5-6 million (£4.2-5.1 million) for the £113k-a-week ace.

According to RMC Sport via Get French Football News, Lyon are also targeting a move for Kondogbia as they look to acquire a defensive midfielder at the Groupama Stadium.

Nevertheless, Lyon will not compete in continental competition next term, which may put a spanner in the works for the French giants in their attempts to land the Central African Republic international.

Football scout and agent Berk Bekgoz recently spoke about the latest state of play involving Kondogbia's future on the Taktik Mania YouTube channel, which translated to:

"Geoffrey Kondogbia will meet with Wolverhampton this week. If an agreement could not be reached, the player's manager made an appointment with Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. He will come to Istanbul and the meeting will be held."

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones believes that Kondogbia would be an 'interesting' addition at Molineux this summer.

Jones told FFC: "It's an interesting name to be thrown in there. I think that obviously Wolves are looking at a bit of an overhaul in their midfield this summer and so they need some new spirit in there and I think that that could potentially be a name that fits."

Would Geoffrey Kondogbia be a good signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Kondogbia is an experienced figure – hailed a "monster" – who has starred at the elite level for the likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla and Valencia in the past and would be a potential bargain for Lopetegui as he looks to reshape his midfield at the Old Gold.

As per Transfermarkt, the 30-year-old enforcer made 27 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid in 2022/23, registering two goals in the process.

WhoScored also takes into account that Kondogbia was strong in the tackle in La Liga and successfully won around 1.9 challenges per match for his side in the Spanish top-flight.

According to FBRef, the Nemours-born midfielder excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions concerning interceptions, nipping in to steal the ball 2.41 times per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

Looking forward, bringing in Kondogbia may be a wise move from Wolves as they eye consolidation in 2023/24 following a close shave with relegation.

Left-arm spinner Kyle Nipper helped Dolphins spin out Knights and score an emphatic seven-wicket victory in Bloemfontein

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2017Left-arm spinner Kyle Nipper helped Dolphins spin out Knights and score an emphatic seven-wicket victory in Bloemfontein. The win was Dolphins’ third in four games; Knights have only one in three.Knights chose to bat and were skittled out for 171 in 40.1 overs despite their top five getting into double digits – three of them went on to cross 30, but none could get to a fifty. In the 27th over, they were comfortably placed at 128 for 2. Then, Nipper bowled Rudi Second to trigger the slide. Fellow spinners Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen offered Nipper support, picking up two apiece.Vaughn van Jaarsveld got the chase off to a blazing start, hitting 71 off 47 – without the aid of a single six – in a century stand with Morne van Wyk. Eventually, a run-out accounted for him, but cameos from the rest of the top order were enough to get Dolphins home.