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The loss of Richarlison has been hugely detrimental to Everton.

Although his move to Tottenham Hotspur has unravelled into a disaster so far, he was an indispensable component for the Toffees across four seasons, netting double figures in the Premier League on three occasions.

The inability of the Everton hierarchy to replace the forward nearly resulted in relegation, but now with a full summer to assess their options, he must be adequately replaced.

As a result, Victor Boniface has been namedropped as a possible target.

What’s the latest on Victor Boniface to Everton?

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Everton took initial information on the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise star as they assess a potential deal. The Toffees are yet to table an offer for the striker, but he is open to a move to Goodison Park.

Although a deal is at the very early stages, it will definitely be one to watch across the summer.

"We are not yet at the stage of formal negotiations but I understand #EvertonFC took initial information on player’s side to glimpse the possibilities of a deal for Victor Boniface," he tweeted. "There is actually absolutely NO offer for the Nigerian striker on the table of #USG even though the player’s open to a move. Interesting transfer to follow this summer."

Is Victor Boniface shades of Richarlison?

The 22-year-old machine has been at Union SG since last summer and has enjoyed the most productive season of his career to date. Across 55 appearances in all competitions, Boniface bagged 34 goal involvements, which has alerted Everton to his talent.

His manager Karel Geraerts has lauded his quality and said:

“I think Boniface, he's doing very good in the team.

"Boniface showed that he has a lot of qualities, he’s strong, he can go with speed. I think now he needs to be physically strong and keep this tempo for 90 minutes.”

The young Nigerian's well-rounded profile and the way he’s excelled in Belgium means he looks ready for a step up to a more fierce league. This is indicated by his rank within the best 13% outside Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals, assists, progressive carries, and successful take-ons per 90.

There is brimming potential in the youngster with scout Jacek Kulig saying he is renowned for his pace, finishing, instinct, heading, athleticism, and movement.

These dynamic and physical traits were also regularly exhibited by Richarlison during his time in the north-west.

The Brazilian has been praised by his former boss Carlo Ancelotti for his similarly unique skill set:

“He is a modern and complete forward, not very sharp on his feet but coordinated and with great synchronization in the area. He is also strong with his head, although he is not a giant. For me, he is among the best forwards.”

The veteran coach made his admiration for the former Watford dynamo extremely clear and also said:

“Richarlison was a fantastic talent before me and will be a fantastic talent after me. He has skills and ability… power and strength and speed.”

In 152 appearances, he recorded 67 goal involvements and his “hard-working” attitude endeared him to the Goodison Park faithful, where he was one of the most popular members of the squad.

Although Boniface would be a rather risky signing due to his lack of experience, it would undoubtedly be exciting.

He could provide Sean Dyche with a different option to the injury-stricken Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and could easily out-score the anonymous Neal Maupay, who has netted just once in his Everton career.

Imran Tahir, who went unsold at the IPL auction in February, has said how special it was to pick three early wickets to set up Rising Pune Supergiant’s win against Mumbai Indians

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-2017Listed No. 1 in the ICC rankings for bowlers in ODIs and T20Is, Imran Tahir was “sad” and “down” after going unsold at the IPL auction two months ago. But an injury to Mitchell Marsh opened a door for Tahir: he was signed as a replacement and shone with 3 for 28 in Rising Pune Supergiant’s seven-wicket win in their opening match against Mumbai Indians.After Mumbai raced to 41 for 0 in four overs with consecutive sixes from Jos Buttler, Steven Smith brought on Tahir, who bowled Parthiv Patel around his legs and then removed Rohit Sharma and Buttler within the space of three balls in his next over.”The way they were playing it looked like they were going to end up getting 200,” Tahir told after the match. “I always love challenges, and when I bowl I always look to get wickets. I was very fortunate to get Patel out and obviously, the next two wickets were very special. Those guys were really good against spin bowling and it was very special for me that I got them out and [I’m] really, really happy with the way the ball came out. I’ve been here for one week and I’m trying to do well because it’s a new team and they gave me a lot of confidence.”I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight and try to give as much as I can. I love doing what I’m doing and I always look for a challenge.”Tahir expressed how disappointed he was when no franchise picked him at the auction in February, when he had a base price of INR 50 lakhs. He had been released by Delhi Daredevils after an unimpressive IPL last year, playing four matches for five wickets with an economy rate of 8.62.”I was obviously sad not to be part of this league [in the auction] but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Tahir said. “But really relieved and pleased with myself about playing the way I’ve been playing and just deliver it today.”I’m grateful to god and my family supported me, especially my wife. I was quite down when I didn’t get picked in the league. But our life carries on and I came here to prove myself again, that’s what my job is. I don’t blame no one for not picking me. My job, if someone picks me, is to come and perform, that’s what we do for a living.””I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight”•BCCI

Supergiant played two legspinners – Tahir and Adam Zampa – in the absence of R Ashwin and left out Faf du Plessis from the XI. Zampa, their highest wicket-taker last season, did not impress as much as Tahir on Thursday, with 1 for 26 from three overs, but Ajinkya Rahane said the strategy of playing two attacking legspinners worked for them.”Both of them are attacking, both of them look to take wickets, and that’s very important in T20,” Rahane said. “Zampa did well for us last year, and Imran Tahir is a world-class bowler. It’s good to have them both in our side, and we, as a team, know they’re always looking to take wickets.”Rahane gave Supergiant’s chase of 185 impetus, scoring 60 off 34 that featured six fours and three sixes. He brought up his half-century off only 27 balls; Supergiant were 79 for 1 in the ninth over.”When you’re chasing 180-190, it’s important to continue the momentum after the first six overs,” Rahane said. “I knew I was batting really well, and striking the ball well. So, for me, it was really important to play with that same momentum. Smith was completely new [on the pitch] at that time. So, I just wanted to take my chances and play my normal shots. I mean, I didn’t take any risks. But it was important for both of us to keep rotating the strike and hit one boundary or six in an over.”When you are chasing 180 plus, it’s the openers’ job to consolidate the innings. For me and Mayank [Agarwal], our discussion was to play positive cricket. We did not set any target for the first six overs. We just wanted to play our attacking game, and later on just capitalise on that. Unfortunately, he got out, but I was batting well. And Smith was there, I told him I’ll take my chances, and he should just carry on and play a long innings.”

West Ham United are determined to land Denis Zakaria this summer and have pushed to get a deal done, according to a report from Calciomercato l'Originale, via Juventus News 24.

How many games did Denis Zakaria play in last season?

The midfielder spent the 2022/23 season on loan with Chelsea in the Premier League, but was given only seven games to prove his worth in the top flight under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. Even worse for the 26-year-old is that only five of those came as starts – meaning that he had just 411 minutes of playing time with the Blues during his stint there.

He therefore wasn't able to regularly showcase what he is capable of, having also struggled to get gametime with parent club Juventus. Since joining the Serie A giants, he has played just eleven league games for them too, at a total of just 720 minutes.

Zakaria though really shone during his time in Germany with Borussia Monchengladbach, He twice featured in the top ten pass completion leaderboard for the club and ranked eighth in the entire Bundesliga for the amount of blocks he produced back in the 2017/18 season. He can produce the goods in the centre of the field then – he just hasn't been able to show it recently.

Now though, he may have the opportunity to land another move and get that chance. According to a report from Calciomercato l'Originale, via Juventus News 24, Gianluca Di Marzio believes West Ham are still very eager to sign Zakaria and have actually pushed for a transfer "in the last few hours."

There is no mention of an official bid or formal approach, but it seems as though the Hammers are now really desperate to try and land the midfielder this summer – and want to try and get a deal done sooner rather than later.

A transfer could be possible too, with the report adding that he isn't an essential part of Massimiliano Allegri's plans at Juventus. That suggests he could be sold at the right price – and if West Ham stump up the funds then, a deal could get over the line.

What is Denis Zakaria worth?

It's unclear how much a potential transfer for Zakaria may cost, but Transfermarkt suggest that his value could be around the 18 million Euros (or £15.4m) mark. It's not a large fee for the Hammers to pay should he actually cost that much, and it could be worth a gamble considering his experience and potential ability on the field should he be able to feature frequently.

He's clearly got some talent in his locker despite his lack of gametime too – journalist Josh Bunting stated that the midfielder was "powerful" at Chelsea in terms of "winning the ball back" and it showcases how much of a presence he can be in the centre of the field.

On his day then, the current Juventus man could be a real asset for a club – and if West Ham snap him up and play him regularly, they could therefore reap the rewards.

Liverpool are still interested in signing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer, a new transfer rumour from Italy has claimed.

Are Liverpool linked with Chiesa?

It is no secret that the Reds are in the market for a number of midfielders this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister hopefully the first of several to come in, and with the likes of Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Ryan Gravenbarch and Dominik Szoboszlai all seemingly in the conversation.

Szoboszlai in particular seems likely to sign, with a report from Melissa Reddy on Friday detailing that the player is keen to join and the Reds are "pressing" to get a deal done.

While that appears to be Liverpool's primary area of focus, that's not to say that other additions won't come in, too, with a new centre-back potentially on the cards. Another attacker also isn't out of the question, with the departure of the legendary Roberto Firmino opening up a space in the squad.

One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield recently is Chiesa, whose future at Juventus is up in the air, with his current deal expiring at the end of the 2024/25 season. It is a rumour that is refusing to go away, suggesting that the transfer could be a genuine possibility.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have "expressions of interest" in the £54,000-a-week Chiesa this summer, with the Reds having "the charm of the history club on their side".

The report also adds that Jurgen Klopp personally "greatly respects" the 41-cap and four-goal Italy international, and he could "offer him the chance of playing as an advanced winger".

Chiesa is a fantastic player who could be such an eye-catching signing for Liverpool, given the blistering pace and directness that he possesses out wide, helping him register 42 goal contributions (22 goals and 20 assists) in 94 appearances for Juve.

There is an argument to say that a new forward isn't needed this summer, however, with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo already battling for regular minutes.

It is hard to see how Klopp would be able to keep six top-class options happy, and at the same time, for the club to be able to afford both Chiesa and more midfielders.

Should Liverpool have a genuine chance of signing Chiesa they should certainly consider it – he has been hailed as "unpredictable" by Antonio Di Natale and "one of the most exciting players around" by journalist Josh Bunting – but only if it is financially viable, and it won't affect the rest of their summer transfer business.

Leeds United will be on the hunt for players who can help them quickly bounce back from a drop into the Championship next season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Gustavo Hamer?

According to Football League World, Leeds are interested in signing Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer.

As per the report, the 49ers have ambitious plans for the club upon their full buyout of Andrea Radrizzani and want to make Hamer their marquee signing for their Championship campaign.

Who is Gustavo Hamer?

The talented midfielder has been one of the standout perfomers in the Championship this season and played a key role in assisting Coventry to their play-off final at Wembley last month.

As imagined, there is wide speculation that several members of the Leeds squad are looking for opportunities to depart Elland Road this summer after joining the club based on their Premier League status, with Marc Roca one of the latest names to be dropped into the departures debate.

It was also reported by Football League World late last week that the midfielder could be set to return to his native Spain to join Real Betis on a loan deal for the season ahead.

As a result, the signing of Hamer – who has an estimated valuation of £10m – would be a great opportunity to not only bring in a player with sound Championship experience but the quality to help Leeds achieve a rapid return to the top flight by replacing Roca in the centre of the pitch.

Over 41 league appearances, the 25-year-old talent – hailed "unbelievable" by former Coventry City goalkeeper Marko Marosi – scored nine goals, registered ten assists and created a whopping 16 big chances.

More than just an attacking outlet, the Sky Blues star registered 1.8 key passes, 2.6 tackles, 1.1 successful dribbles and won 4.8 duels per game, proving that he is a huge presence and a perfect all-rounder in his deeper midfield role.

Hamer will be in the last year of his contract with Coventry this season which could prove to be a sticking point that leads to a cut-price deal being accepted by the club to ensure they don't lose one of their most prolific assets on a free next summer.

With that being said, Leeds should be all over any opportunity to sign Hamer this summer and if he can emulate his consistency and incredible output at Elland Road he could play a huge role in an automatic return to the top flight for the Whites.

The arrival of Cricket Australia’s head of security in Dhaka is seen as a positive consequence of England’s willingness to tour Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam27-Oct-20160:55

Archive: Focus on security as England arrive

Cricket Australia’s head of security Sean Carroll has arrived in Dhaka to observe the security measures in place for England’s ongoing tour of the country. Australia are due to arrive in Bangladesh in August 2017 to fulfil the two-Test tour of 2015 that was postponed due to security concerns.Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB chief, said Carroll’s visit was “encouraging”.Carroll travelled with the England team’s convoy from their hotel to the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur to sample the security arrangements. It is understood that he will further examine the security during the second Bangladesh-England Test starting on Friday.The move is seen as a positive consequence of England’s willingness to tour after being given security assurances by the Bangladesh government following concerns because of the July 1 terrorist attack in Dhaka.”We are aware of Sean Carroll’s arrival,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “He came today and travelled with the England convoy to take a practical look at the security arrangements. He will be here for a few days. During the England tour, the Australia high commission has also kept in touch with us about the security arrangements.”It is certainly an encouraging sign, as it shows that they are keen to have a look at our security arrangements and are positive about coming in August next year.”Australia deferred the tour of Bangladesh last year following a government advisory. Cricket Australia did not send their team for this year’s U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh either. Although chief executive James Sutherland had said in April that they were keen to fulfil their commitments in 2017, the terror attacks in Dhaka on July 1 put question marks on the tour.

While mentioning the difficulty of adjusting to Irish conditions in a short time-frame, Bangladesh Women captain Jahanara Alam expressed hope that her side would tackle that obstacle and have a successful tour

Mohammad Isam30-Aug-2016

Bangladesh Women captain Jahanara Alam has said adjusting to Irish conditions quickly will be key to the team’s success during their forthcoming limited-overs matches against Ireland Women in Londonderry.The team is scheduled to arrive in Northern Ireland on September 3, after which they will have only one day to train and get accustomed to the conditions before the first T20I on September 5.”We will get only a day to practice after reaching Ireland,” Jahanara said on Tuesday. “These things can happen. We will have to face the harsh cold weather, while at home we had practiced under hot and humid conditions. But we are hopeful of coping with the conditions despite the fact that one practice session is not enough. We will look to make best use of the time we have there.”Bangladesh and Ireland will play T20Is on September 5 and September 6, followed by ODIs on September 8 and September 10. All four matches will be played at the Bready Cricket Club.Bangladesh’s last international assignment went poorly as they lost all group-stage matches in this year’s Women’s World T20 in India. Their last ODI memory isn’t great either; they lost two ODIs out of two against Pakistan in October 2015. But Jahanara was hopeful that their mix of experienced and young players could bring them success.”We will try to win all four matches on tour,” she said. “We have around seven to eight seniors in the team. The team needs to play more matches in order to get the best possible output from the seniors. But we are playing internationals after long gaps and this is hampering our progress. I believe we will be able to put up a team effort, in which both the seniors and the newcomers will contribute.”Jahanara said the Bangladesh women’s team had come a long way since their international debut, and hoped the change in mentality could lift them to a better position in Ireland.”We are training harder these days. Our mentality has also changed over the last four years. I am hopeful that we will do well in Ireland.”

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly plotting to make a fresh move for Villarreal defender, Pau Torres, with the Lilywhites having seemingly missed out on the exciting centre-back last summer.

What's the latest on Torres to Tottenham?

According to Italian outlet, Tuttosport, the north Londoners are seemingly ready to rival Serie A side Juventus for the signing of the 26-year-old, with the Premier League outfit said to be ready to 'try again' this summer after failing to sign the defender last year.

As per the Daily Mail, Daniel Levy and co were reportedly attempting to sign the 6 foot 3 gem ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, albeit with the Spaniard ultimately staying put with the La Liga side.

The latest indication is that Spurs will push to make another attempt ahead of next season, with the report suggesting that the 23-cap ace could be available for lower than his reported €65m (£57m) release clause, as his existing contract is set to expire next year.

Who could Torres replace at Tottenham?

The signing of the Villarreal rock could well spell bad news for long-serving Tottenham defender, Eric Dier, with the England international only set to find himself pushed further down the defensive pecking order, following what has been a dismal campaign on both a collective and individual basis.

The 29-year-old – who has been at the club since joining from Sporting CP back in 2014 – has formed part of a backline that has shipped 62 Premier League goals so far this term, with that the sixth-worst record of any team in the division.

Dier, in particular, has had to endure his fair share of the blame for those woes, with journalist Ryan Taylor stating earlier this year that the experienced dud "is just nowhere near the required level for what Spurs are trying to achieve".

As such, bringing Torres into the fold could well be the defensive upgrade that Tottenham are evidently in need of, with the left-footed ace having enjoyed another solid campaign in Spain so far, with his average match rating of 7.06 – as per Sofascore – far greater than what Dier has achieved in the Premier League (6.86).

The notable difference between the pair is their ability in possession, with the Spain international ranking in at least the top 3% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes, progressive carries and successful take-ons, proving just why he is "wonderful on the ball" – as per talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Dier, by contrast, is far less comfortable at playing out from the back as he ranks in just the bottom 41% for progressive passes, the bottom 25% for progressive carries and only the bottom 20% for successful take-ons – a stark illustration of the contrasting abilities of the pair.

Torres is also no slouch when it comes to carrying out his defensive duties as he has averaged 1.3 tackles per game in La Liga this season and won 66% of his ground duels, while the current Spurs man has averaged only 0.9 tackles per game and won just 52% of his ground duels.

While it is yet to be seen just who will be in charge next season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Levy would be wise to give any new manager a welcome gift with the signing of Torres.

Benny Howell took his wicket tally in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group to 23 as Gloucestershire made sure of finishing top with a four-wicket victory over Middlesex at Bristol

ECB Reporters Network29-Jul-2016
ScorecardLiam Norwell narrowly fails to run out Steve Eskinazi•Getty ImagesBenny Howell took his wicket tally in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group to 23 as Gloucestershire made sure of finishing top with a four-wicket victory over Middlesex at Bristol.The competition’s leading wicket-taker claimed 3 for 18 from his four overs to help restrict the visitors to 156 for 5 after winning the toss. John Simpson top scored with 40 not out, while spinners Tom Smith and Graeme van Buuren both bowled tightly.In reply, Gloucestershire reached 162 for 6 with three balls to spare, Jack Taylor seeing them home with an explosive 44 off 23 balls, including 4 sixes, after Ian Cockbain had contributed 42.Some of the edge was taken off the game by the fact that both sides were already sure of quarter-final places, in Gloucestershire’s case with home advantage. But it still produced a thrilling finish.Gloucs look to Grieshaber

Gloucestershire skipper Michael Klinger admitted Gl;oucestershire are short on wicketkeeping cover after they drew Durham in the last eight.
“Durham creates a problem for us in terms of a wicketkeeper because Gareth Roderick and Chris Dent are injured and we won’t be able to play Phil Mustard, who is on loan to us from our quarter-final opponents.
“It is something we will overcome. Young Pat Grieshaber did well for us behind the stumps in our Royal London Cup win over Sussex at Cheltenham and showed he can bat as well in that game.”

Middlesex made a promising start to their innings as Nick Gubbins and Stevie Eskinazi scored 52 off the first five overs before Gubbins, on 29, having hit 3 sixes, skied a catch to on-loan wicketkeeper Phil Mustard off Andrew Tye.James Franklin fell cheaply against his old club, stumped in Howell’s first over. But it was the all-rounder’s second over that proved most damaging as he had Eskinazi caught at short third-man for 29 and George Bailey lbw for one three balls later.The Middlesex innings got bogged down against Howell, typically effective with his pace-off-the-ball seamers, and the two Gloucestershire spinners, who shared seven overs at a cost of just 36 runs.Simpson and Ryan Higgins did their best to pick up the pace in the closing overs, while Toby Roland-Jones hit a four and a six off the last, sent down by Tye. But the Middlesex score still looked below par.Gloucestershire made a brisk start in reply, Michael Klinger and Hamish Marshall taking the score to 31 in the third over before Marshall, on 16, was run out attempting a second to third-man and failing to beat Roland-Jones’ throw to the keeper.That brought together two of the leading run-makers in the competition, Klinger and Cockbain, who soon overtook his skipper. An out-of-sorts Klinger was dropped on ten by Nathan Sowter at deep cover off Harris before falling for 13, caught trying to reverse sweep the relieved Sowter.Mustard was quickly bowled by Franklin and when Roland-Jones struck twice in the 15th over, having Cockbain caught at cover and bowling Howell as he advanced down the track, Gloucestershire looked to be in trouble at 101 for five.Taylor hit the first six of the innings as 14 came off the 17th over, bowled by Harris, and van Buuren followed up with a maximum off Ollie Rayner before falling next ball.With 24 needed from the last two overs, Taylor blasted successive sixes off Roland-Jones and nine were required as Steve Finn prepared to bowl the last six deliveries.The first was a no-balled bouncer costing two extras. Taylor missed the next one and smacked the next to mid-wicket where the diving Sowter failed to gather and let the ball slip through for a boundary.The scores were level when Finn was no-balled again for a bouncer and Taylor cut the next delivery for six over cover to end the game.

South Africa start their first Test tour of Bangladesh with a 45-minute flight from Dhaka to Chittagong tomorrow

Pat Symcox27-May-2016South Africa start their first Test tour of Bangladesh with a 45-minute flight from Dhaka to Chittagong tomorrow. None of the South Africans have played in Chittagong before, and little is known about the conditions. By all accounts the hotel rates rather fewer than five stars, and the weather predictions aren’t great. It is the rainy season, and completing a Test at all is considered fortunate. The city is a busy port, and is in very mountainous region. Humidity is the biggest enemy of any touring team.But after their solid performances in the last two outings of the TVS Cup against India last week, the South Africans have good reason to feel upbeat about their progress in this part of the world. The bowlers have clearly worked out that on these sluggish pitches, slower balls are not easy to score from. The batsmen, on the other hand, have realised there is no substitute for time spent at the crease. They also now realise that if someone gets in he has to go on and finish the job, as starting an innings is not an easy task.The make-up of South Africa’s team for the first of the two Tests, which starts on Thursday, will be interesting. The pitch is expected to be tailormade for Bangladesh’s spinners, but Eric Simons, the SA coach, has two spinners in his own squad. Simons will have to weigh up whether to play both of them, against a team which would probably prefer that, or to bank on the fact that even on a slow turner the South African pace bowlers will still be a handful. In any case, the two-spinner option would probably mean leaving out one of the batsmen who have been doing well on subcontinental pitches recently.The left-armer Paul Adams is likely to be the first-choice spinner and, since Jacques Rudolph and Graeme Smith can fill in with a few overs themselves, Robin Peterson might well miss out.In the pace department Charl Willoughby was picked specifically for his ability to swing the ball in the air when pitches aren’t conducive to lateral movement. However, the fact that he is a genuine No. 11 won’t help his cause. Andrew Hall and Alan Dawson have stepped up when needed, and their batting ability will make both hard to overlook.The series may be in Bangladesh, but South Africa are still expected to come out on top. Bangladesh, after all, have lost 16 of the 17 Tests they have played so far – and their only draw came when rain washed out the last two days of a match against Zimbabwe. It should add up to a gentle baptism for Smith as a Test captain.