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Leicester City have been linked with a move for Wolfsburg forward Josip Brekalo as Brendan Rodgers plots another assault on the Champions League qualification places.

What’s the story?

According to the Sunday Mirror (via Sportslens), the Foxes have “registered an interest” in the highly-rated 23-year-old, who would reportedly cost around £12 million.

Ligue 1 outfit Lyon and Spain’s Real Sociedad have also been credited with an interest in Brekalo, but it is understood the player would prefer a move to the Premier League this summer.

He has huge potential

The diminutive winger has established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting prospects in recent years following his arrival from boyhood club Dinamo Zagreb.

His impressive performances have caught the eye of several onlookers throughout his time in German football, including ex-Wolfsburg manager Oliver Glasner.

“I see huge potential in Josip. He continues to show that he wants to be here, and will only get better,” said Glasner.

And Brekalo enjoyed his most productive campaign to date in 2020/21, playing a pivotal part as the Wolves finished fourth in the Bundesliga standings, qualifying for Europe’s elite cup competition as a result.

In 29 top-flight appearances, the Croatia international bagged seven goals and provided three assists for his teammates, although his underlying numbers are arguably even more striking.

As per WhoScored, Brekalo had 1.6 shots per league game last term, made 1.3 key passes and completed one dribble, placing him in the top four amongst his teammates in all metrics.

Therefore, it’s easy to understand why Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers is reportedly targeting the versatile forward ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Although usually deployed on the wings, Brekalo is equally adept at playing through the middle and would offer cover and competition in a variety of positions.

Both Dennis Praet and Ayoze Perez struggled in their second seasons at the King Power Stadium, while Cengiz Under’s loan spell wasn’t made permanent following an underwhelming 12-month stint.

It’s left Rodgers searching for some attacking reinforcements, and the Wolfsburg ace may just be the perfect solution to the Foxes’ problems.

And, in other news…Bye-bye Maddison: Leicester must land “silky” £30m gem who’s a big upgrade for Rodgers 

The chairman of Gloucestershire, John Light, has lodged an official complaint with the ECB over Ashley Giles’s dual role as England selector and Warwickshire’s director of cricket

Cricinfo staff08-Aug-2008
Ashley Giles remains adamant that his role as England selector, and his job with Warwickshire, can dovetail happily © Getty Images
The chairman of Gloucestershire, John Light, has lodged an official complaint with the ECB over Ashley Giles’s dual role as England selector and Warwickshire’s director of cricket.Light’s complaint surrounds Warwickshire’s approach for Alex Gidman and Steve Kirby, which he described as “a hand grenade in our dressing room”. Both players chose to stay at Gloucestershire, but Light has nevertheless filed a complaint against Giles who, he claims, has a “conflict of interest”.”Warwickshire quite properly bid for two of our players,” Light told the . “For us smaller clubs, retaining players can be a problem and I feel that Ashley Giles’ dual role gives him an extra advantage. There is no question of Ashley behaving improperly. He’s a splendid fellow and Warwickshire have acted totally above board.”The thing is, when ‘Grav’ [David Graveney] was a selector, we asked him to become involved with Gloucestershire, but he declined because he thought he must remain neutral. I wrote to Hugh Morris at the start of last week and also raised the matter with [national selector] Geoff Miller and at the chairmen’s meeting. I cannot put words in others’ mouths, but I think it is fair to say it was accepted that I have a reasonable point.”Giles, however, remains adamant that the two roles can work in harmony – despite rumours of discontent rumbling around the county circuit over the aggressive approaches made by Warwickshire for high-profile players.”As far as I am concerned it is far from a conflict of interests,” Giles said. “All I am doing is working to make England cricket better. I have never said to a player that if they came to Warwickshire they would have a better chance of playing for England.”

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly the main option for Nikola Milenkovic should he make a move to England in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Alderweireld leaves

Toby Alderweireld has completed a move from Spurs to Qatari side Al-Duhail SC, leaving the North London club after a spell of six years (Sky Sports).

This means that Nuno Espirito Santo’s team will have to look to bring in a new central defender as a replacement for the Belgium international, with the new 2021/22 Premier League season only a couple of weeks away.

The Latest: Milenkovic eyed

As per La Nazione (via Sport Witness), Milenkovic is being ‘followed’ by the Lilywhites ahead of a potential move, if a deal for Cristian Romero falls through.

THFC are the main ‘option’ for the Fiorentina centre-back in England, but the requests of the Serie A club remain ‘hefty’.

The Verdict: Sign

Should a deal for Romero fall through, Milenkovic is certainly a player who is capable of filling in the gap left by Alderweireld.

Once dubbed as an ‘extraordinary’ defender by his teammate Pol Lirola in March of last year, the Serbia international has even been likened to Manchester United legend and fellow countryman Nermanja Vidic.

The six-foot-four colossus certainly showed that he can be a threat for Tottenham in both boxes last term, winning no fewer than 5.1 of his duels per match, while also averaging 3.6 clearances, 1.4 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in Serie A (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, signing Milenkovic would certainly be a statement by Spurs that they are ready to push back into the top four.

In other news, find out which £36m-rated ace dubbed ‘excellent’ by Cristiano Ronaldo THFC have made a move for here!

John Blain will return to Yorkshire at the end of October as assistant bowling coach and will also be registered as a player so can be called up if required

Cricinfo staff24-Sep-2008John Blain will return to Yorkshire at the end of October as assistant bowling coach and will also be registered as a player so can be called up if required. However, the club have agreed to release him for Scotland’s ICC World Twenty20 matches next summer and the World Cup qualifiers.Blain will be responsible for developing the pipeline of talent emerging from a schools’ cricket programme in the county and through the club’s academy. He will eventually take over from Steve Oldham.He began his career with Northamptonshire before moving to Yorkshire for the 2004 season, playing 14 first-class matches over three seasons and taking 38 wickets. He has also played 31 ODIs and six Twenty20 internationals for Scotland”This is a great opportunity for me and it will be an honour working for the Yorkshire in such an important role,” Blain said. “I have enormous respect for Steve Oldham and relish the chance to learn from him and develop my own coaching expertise.”Yorkshire chief executive, Stewart Regan, said: “John is well known to Yorkshire’s members and supporters and will be a great asset to the county as we move forward. His international experience, natural leadership qualities and enthusiasm makes him an ideal role model for younger players. We want him to spend time with Steve Oldham in order to learn the tricks of the trade and ultimately take over when Steve decides to call it a day.”

Joe Wainman, formerly of All Leeds TV, expects Leeds United to make a serious push for FC Midtjylland midfielder Jens Cajuste after missing out on Conor Gallagher to Crystal Palace.

Leeds were said to be keen on bringing Gallagher in on loan from Chelsea but, in the end, the 21-year-old opted for Palace.

The Yorkshire club will now have to turn their attention elsewhere and have been linked with Cajuste.

Prior to losing the race for Gallagher, SportExpressen reported that Leeds have shown concrete interest in the Sweden international.

They could face competition, though, with The Athletic claiming that Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Wolves and Palace are also interested.

Whatever the case, for Wainman, Cajuste is now likely to be a priority for Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds.

“He seems to be the next target on the list, Jens Cajuste,” Wainman told TT.

“I think we do need someone who can go box-to-box, you know, a little bit like Conor Gallagher really, to be fair. I think he would have been the ideal signature, but I think the thing with Jens Cajuste, he’s 21, Swedish international, clearly a prospect. 

“I think the figures, I think it’s around 15 million I’m seeing that he could move on for, so I think he would be a great signing.”

Described as an “all-action” midfielder who has flair to his game by Leeds Live, it looks like the Whites have stumbled across a gem in the 21-year-old.

After watching Gallagher go to Palace, Bielsa will surely be desperate to get this one over the line.

One of the Fab Five, Sourav Ganguly, has already put in his papers, and the focus on the other four – Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble – is going to sharpen

Cricinfo staff08-Oct-2008
Will Sourav Ganguly’s final Test series distract the other seniors in the Indian team? © AFP
India usually celebrates its heroes at every opportunity but two important milestones – Sachin Tendulkar’s proximity to Brian Lara’s record and Laxman’s 100th Test – have been overshadowed by the talk of voluntary retirement schemes. Anil Kumble began his pre-match press conference by calmly answering a question about his future as a Test cricketer but his response to a similar question, a few minutes later, carried a hint of annoyance.The criticism of India’s most accomplished Test cricketers, though its degree was magnified with the media having less to do after the Champions Trophy was postponed, sprung from a wretched tour of Sri Lanka. More than the statistics – Tendulkar and Ganguly scored less than 100 runs in six innings, Dravid and Laxman had one half-century each – it was their helplessness against a spinner that stuck in the memory. And on those same pitches, Kumble picked up only eight wickets at 50 apiece.Since then Tendulkar and Ganguly have had little match practice. Tendulkar was recovering from an elbow injury, Ganguly wasn’t included in the squad for the Irani Trophy while Dravid and Laxman had satisfactory outings against Delhi. The core of India’s batting order has had to rely on an intensive camp in Bangalore to prepare for Australia. Gary Kirsten, the coach, said they had put in a “massive effort physically” as much as working on skills.There has been enough indication from the Australian camp that their strategy will be similar to the successful campaign in 2004, which brought their first series win in India since 1969-70. Adam Gilchrist protected boundaries with men in the outfield and also had close-in fielders to save singles, thereby reducing India’s rate of scoring. Kirsten, however, said they were “very aware” of Australia’s plans and their batsmen’s preparations were “spot on”. The key, according to him, was India’s batsmen striking form early in the series and building from there.Their task, however, could be considerably easier than 2004 because the composition of Australia’s current bowling attack doesn’t compare to the class of 2004 when Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz and Shane Warne executed plans with precision. They also lack a quality spinner but to put too much emphasis on that factor would be forgetting a series earlier this year, when South Africa’s fast-bowling arsenal, inexperienced in Indian conditions, made batsmen struggle even without a proven spinner.The Indians will also have to be prepared for concentrated attacks on their perceived areas of weakness. Five out of the probable XI are well into their 30s, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan are approaching that age, and fitness is an area Australia are keen to exploit.”Putting pressure on their fielding is something we’re certainly going to try and achieve in this series, also putting a lot of pressure on their batsmen running between the wickets,” Ponting said. “We’ll just try to stop the rotation of strike. If we can create a run-out in each Test innings that’s a huge achievement.”We know the way the Indians go about playing their cricket. It’s more of an old school type of Test match cricket. We’re really going to bring a new-age type of Test match cricket here and see how it goes.””I don’t think it’s a distraction. I hope this series will be good for him and for the team as well. For us the team comes first and then the individuals”Anil Kumble, India’s captain, brushes off talks that Sourav Ganguly’s farewell series will affect the teamIndia also have to be wary about losing focus because of Ganguly’s retirement. Australia nearly lost the Test series at home in 2003-04, during which the country said goodbye to Steve Waugh, and they did lose the tri-series in 2007-08 when crowds at every venue gave Adam Gilchrist a rousing send-off.”I don’t think it’s a distraction,” Kumble said. “I hope this series will be good for him and for the team as well. For us the team comes first and then the individuals.” Ponting, however, has experienced a similar situation twice and knows it isn’t so straightforward. “I’m not sure if it took our whole focus away when Steve [Waugh] announced that he was going to retire. What it certainly does is create distractions.”There’s no doubt yesterday afternoon and today the Indian team would have faced the pressure of different distractions than they’re used to. They’ll be facing that now for the next four weeks. We dealt with it pretty well when Steve Waugh announced his retirement and probably a bit differently when Adam Gilchrist announced his retirement.”The pressure on Ganguly, therefore, is considerably lesser than it is on others. Come what may, this is it for him. The others will have to ensure that they don’t get affected by emotion, or the external pressures that hound an Indian team.

Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, writing on Twitter, has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Bordeaux attacking midfielder Yacine Adli.

The Lowdown: Paratici eyeing Spurs overhaul…

Tottenham’s new managing director has already overseen a plethora of transfer activity since his appointment by chairman Daniel Levy.

The Italian has been tasked with developing Spurs’ on-field sporting operations, making three major summer signings so far in Pierluigi Gollini, Cristian Romero and Bryan Gil.

He has also been casting his eye on plenty of attacking targets this summer, with the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Houssem Aouar, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Simy having all been linked.

Now, Aouna has brought news of another Paratici attacking target in Adli, with an offer on the horizon.

The Latest: Lilywhites offer incoming?

As per the Foot Mercato reporter, writing on Twitter, contact has already been made for Adli as Spurs and Arsenal set their sights on the 21-year-old.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-gossip/” title=”Tottenham latest gossip!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

It is also claimed that an offer from the Lilywhites is ‘coming soon’ alongside their north London rivals – with European giants AC Milan having chased the starlet since May.

“Info: As mentioned in May, Milan is very interested in Yacine Adli,” Aouna reported on social media.

“€12m offer + 10% on resale. Bordeaux demands more money. Discussions still ongoing.

“Contact with Arsenal and Tottenham. Offer coming soon.

“Lille is still interested.”

The Verdict: Adli and Gil…

At just 21, Adli has marked himself out as an exciting prospect and one who made a mark for Bordeaux last season.

Starting 25 Ligue 1 matches, the midfield ace notched five assists and completed 1.5 key passes per 90 in the final third (WhoScored) – more than any Spurs player managed in the English top flight bar Son Heung-min.

Depending on the offer from Spurs, they could be in the mix for a highly talented attacking player as Paratici continues to cast his net far and wide.

Having both Gil and Adli in the ranks would offer Nuno two young talents with bags of creativity and plenty of room to grow into future superstars.

In other news: ‘Yes yes yes’, ‘Buzzing’, ‘Game changer’…Many Tottenham fans erupt as ‘beautiful’ news confirmed, find out more here.

West Indies Women, buoyed by centuries from Deandra Dottin and Stefanie Taylor, both openers, beat Sri Lanka Women XI comprehensively by 112 runs in their only tour match at the P Saravanamuttu stadium in Colombo on Monday

Cricinfo staff04-Nov-2008
Scorecard
West Indies Women, buoyed by centuries from openers Deandra Dottin and Stefanie Taylor, beat Sri Lanka Women XI comprehensively by 112 runs in their only tour match at the P Saravanamuttu stadium in Colombo on Monday. In pursuit of a formidable 273, the Sri Lankans took their time to get some valuable batting practice ahead of the first ODI on Wednesday, eventually reaching just 161 for 7, with Hiruka Fernando top scoring with 34.After being put in, the West Indies openers chose to make the most of their time at the crease. Dottin made 103 off just 68 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes, and added 216 for the first wicket with Taylor, whose century came off 113 balls. Both batsmen gave up their wickets by voluntarily retiring out to give their other team-mates a batting stint before the first ODI. Sri Lanka used as many as eight bowlers with Sanduni Abeywickrama being the most economical of the lot, conceding just 24 runs in ten overs and bowling Juliana Nero out for 19. Nero made 19 off 42 balls, and Charlene Taitt, who came in at No. 4, made 23 off 59 balls, eager to bat as long as possible to get used to the Sri Lankan conditions.Sri Lanka’s intention to bat out the match was conspicuous in their sedate response, with opener Dilani Manodara, making 33 off 107 balls, and Dushanti Dedunu, her partner, making 6 off 33. They then lost two quick wickets, Dedunu, and Sumudu Fernando, both run out as Sri Lanka stumbled to 25 for 2. However, Manodara and Sumudu Fernando added 59 for the third wicket to lend some stability to the team’s innings. Sumudu’s sister Hiruka Fernando was the side’s top scorer with 34. West Indies used ten bowlers in all, with Afy Fletcher being the pick of the lot, taking 2 for 13 in five overs.

Anil Kumble’s 18-year Test career ended without the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in his hands but India still have a strong chance to claim the prize in Nagpur after batting out a draw at the Feroz Shah Kotla

The Bulletin by Brydon Coverdale02-Nov-2008
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
VVS Laxman added a half-century to his first-innings double-hundred © AFP
Anil Kumble’s 18-year Test career ended without the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in his hands but India still have a strong chance to claim the prize in Nagpur after batting out a draw at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Kumble did get a chance to bowl one final time following his surprise declaration half an hour after tea and there was a tear in his eye as he embarked on his final over.He took the new ball, although he couldn’t add to his 619 Test wickets and his last ball in 132 Tests was a full toss that was driven straight down the ground for four by Matthew Hayden. A better way to remember Kumble might be his final Test wicket; he had closed Australia’s first innings with a running catch off his own bowling that demonstrated his courage as he had 11 stitches in his left hand.The handshakes and pats on the back Kumble received as he left the field for the final time meant an emotional end to a day that had looked as predictable as a Mills and Boon novel after Australia struggled to spark the collapse they needed in the first few hours. They picked up two wickets in the first session and one in the third but India’s resolute middle order, led by VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, had little trouble on a pitch that had less life than John McCain’s presidential campaign.Laxman added an unbeaten 59 to his first-innings double-century, Tendulkar made a useful 47 and Sourav Ganguly threw in a couple of lusty blows towards the end as the game fizzled out of reach of both teams. Not for the first time this series Australia looked incapable of claiming the 20 wickets typically needed to win a Test – they snared only 12 in this game – but on this occasion the benign surface was more responsible than their bowlers.The day had started with Australia searching for eight wickets, preferably in a hurry, to give themselves a realistic run-chase. India were happy to play for time and, despite losing Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid before lunch, never did they appear in serious danger.In what was effectively a short encore of his unbeaten 200, Laxman flicked deliveries through leg and crunched Michael Clarke’s spin through the off-side for simple but well-executed boundaries. He brought up his half-century with just such a stroke – a four driven through cover when Clarke sent down a full toss.Smart StatsIndia have drawn 32 out of their 94 Tests since January 2000 – the percentage of 34.04 is the highest among all teams. Australia, on the other hand, have drawn just 15 of their 97 matches in the same period. Their percentage of 15.46 is lower than all teams except Bangladesh. This was the first draw in Delhi in 22 years. The last draw here also involved Australia, in 1986. Since then, eight consecutive Tests had all produced decisive results, with India winning seven. Overall, the Feroz Shah Kotla ground has hosted 14 draws and 16 outright results.VVS Laxman’s average of 56.21 against Australia is the fourth-highest among players who have scored 2000 or more runs against them. His average against Australia before the start of this Test was 49.39.Laxman’s match aggregate of 259 is fifth in the all-time list for Indian batsmen against Australia. Of the 11 times Indians have scored more than 200 in a Test against Australia, nine have been by batsmen in the current side.Anil Kumble finished with 58 wickets at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the most he’s taken at any ground. The SCG, where he’s taken 20 wickets in 3 Tests, tops his list of wickets taken at overseas venues. He combined with Tendulkar for a 52-run partnership that ate up nearly 21 overs and was, by their exquisite standards, remarkably sedate. But that was exactly what India needed and by the time Cameron White picked up Tendulkar for the second time in the series, with an edge to slip from a genuine legbreak, the pair had dead-batted the life out of the match.Tendulkar did provide some enjoyable moments for the Delhi crowd; a couple of excellent back-foot drives for four off Brett Lee early in his innings brought loud cheers. But he eased into an unhurried and cautious mindset once he lost his initial partner Gambhir, who was unfortunate to be judged lbw for 36 to a Johnson inswinger that would have missed leg stump.Unlike Tendulkar and later Laxman, Gambhir seemed to forget entirely about scoring and in an hour and a half he added only 15 to his overnight total. He was clearly keen to build a wall of his own after India’s usual brick barrier, Dravid, played on to a fast Lee inswinger for 11. The two strikes gave Australia a glimmer of hope but the pitch refused to crumble and so did India’s middle order.Despite the inevitable outcome, both teams will take positives to Nagpur. Australia’s top five each passed fifty and the bowlers showed genuine enthusiasm in unhelpful circumstances. India witnessed double-centuries from two class batsmen, although whether Gambhir will play in the final Test is still uncertain as he awaits the result of an appeal against his one-Test ban.In any case, India ensured that they will regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy unless Australia pinch a series-ending victory. The strange thing is that if they do take possession of the trophy, it won’t be Kumble who first gets his hands on it.

Former Premier League striker Dean Windass believes that Conor Coady would be a great signing for Tottenham Hotspur.

Coady played and was captain under new Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo when he was in charge at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and according to Football Insider Spurs have opened preliminary talks with the Midlands outfit over the signing of the centre-back.

Santo has already looked to bolster his defence with the signing of Cristian Romero from Atalanta and Windass believes that adding Coady to the team at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be a great signing..

He told FFC: “Yeah, that would be a great signing for Tottenham. He’s a good fit, the manager knows him and if that’s the case he wants to go three at the back, he plays the sweeper in between the two centre-half’s, so it fits the system, it fits the criteria of being with the manager that you know, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me.”

Coady featured 40 times for Wolves last season, including only missing one Premier League match as he featured 37 times. The centre-back also featured on a number of occasions for England and was part of Gareth Southgate’s England Euro 2020 squad.

Since signing for Wolves in 2015 for a fee believed to be in the region of £2m, Coady has been an integral part of the team at Molineux and has gone onto feature in 275 games for the club.