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Compromise between Australian cricket’s warring parties appears closer than ever as the previously divergent positions of Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association shift towards long overdue middle ground.For virtually the first time in a pay war now more than nine months old, CA has appeared to consent to a model of revenue sharing that has been adjusted to allow more of the game’s financial upside to flow into areas such as grassroots cricket, while still affording a significant proportion of money above projections to all players.CA’s chief executive James Sutherland, his ACA counterpart Alistair Nicholson and their negotiating teams were believed to be meeting in Melbourne on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the board’s most recent submission of MoU articles that factor in the new, hybrid model. The players had previously consented to discussions based on “modernised” revenue sharing that would commit up to A$30 million of player payment pool money to the game’s lower levels.While negotiations appeared to hit a major snag last week when CA sent the ACA an updated Article 5 of a proposed MoU that deleted all references to revenue sharing, further discussions and correspondence between Sutherland and Nicholson have proven more fruitful.Talks between the parties now appear to be as much about the optics of the deal – CA being able to claim a break from the fixed revenue percentage model that has existed over the past two decades and the ACA being able to say it has been retained – as its detail. One industry figure noted that the emergence of issues over the wording of clauses suggested that agreement “must be close to happening”.After the ACA distributed details of its “peace plan” based on recent discussions to all contracted players over the weekend, the newspaper has published an outline of CA’s possible compromise. “Under the terms of CA’s ­revised offer,” the report said, “men and women players would draw their salaries and bonuses from an agreed total player payment pool equating to a percentage of forecast revenue. Above forecast revenue would be distributed according to a complex, sliding scale ­between the players, community cricket infrastructure and other spending priorities.”Both the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket Australia have shifted from fixed positions•Getty Images

The same newspaper had previously published CA’s complaints about this year’s adjustment ledger payment of more than A$58 million going to the male players covered under the previous MoU but not the female players who were paid directly by CA during that time. It then published a column and front-page pointer story by the CA chairman David Peever in which he denied being “anti-union” during his days at the mining company Rio Tinto. CA’s head of communications, government relations and infrastructure is Mark O’Neill, a former Rio Tinto executive who has also worked in federal politics.The ACA’s proposed terms, meanwhile, were close to those reportedly offered up by CA. According to an ACA statement on Sunday: “Players conceded to accept CA’s lower end revenue scenarios as the basis for the allocation to Australian Cricket Revenue (ACR) given market and contract uncertainty; Players accepting an agreed percentage of the ACR forecast. (Note this percentage is of ACR and not Total Cricket Revenue (TCR) and it is not an increase in share on the last MOU but does factor in the inclusion of all female players).”Revenue sharing is modified so that the players allocate up to $30 million via a new Players Grassroots Investment Fund (PGIF) from their share of over forecast revenue and performance bonuses. Thus reducing the share of revenue players would otherwise earn.”While numerous areas remain up for debate, namely what the percentage due to players – previously 24.5-27% of ACR – should be and what should be excluded and included in the ACR definition, the earlier state of impasse has at least been broken down. CA had initially proposed fixed wages for all players, augmented by a capped bonus system for international male and female players, with minimal increases for domestic male players in particular.By contrast the ACA proposed a fixed percentage of 22.5% of agreed cricket revenue for all players, a further 22.5% for grassroots investment and the remaining 55% to remain with CA for other areas of the game. A week before the previous MoU’s expiry on June 30, CA revised its offer to include all players in the capped bonus system and also to raise the wages on offer to domestic male players, without specifying by how much.One of the ACA’s longtime complaints was that it had not been provided with sufficient financial records by which to judge CA’s offers, which the players claimed to include payroll tax, prize money and the assumption that all players would draw match fees by playing in all possible fixtures. Another point of contention was the inclusion of overseas Big Bash League players – who typically draw the most lucrative contracts from each team’s salary cap – in the “average” wage to be offered to domestic males.About three weeks remain for an agreement to be struck between CA and the ACA to avoid numerous forms of dislocation to the game, from the cancellation of the looming Bangladesh Test tour to the floundering of various commercial deals for the summer with sponsors, broadcasters and advertisers on those broadcasts.The dispute has already resulted in the cancellation of an Australia A tour to South Africa earlier this month, while more than 230 players have been left out of contract, and therefore unemployed, since the expiry of the previous MoU on July 1. All players have continued to train without pay over that period. Members of Australia’s Test squad for Bangladesh met in Sydney on Monday and stated their support from compromise, while also reiterating their commitment to refuse going on the tour unless an agreement is reached beforehand.Both CA and the ACA declined to comment.

An outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.

George Dobell at Edgbaston27-May-2017Pakistan 342 for 8 (Shoaib 72, Faheem 64*) beat Bangladesh 341 for 9 (Tamim 102, Junaid 4-72) by two wickets
ScorecardShoaib Malik’s 72 kept Pakistan in the game before an astonishing finale•Getty Images

An outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.Fahee, playing his first innings in a Pakistan shirt, thrashed 60 in 34 balls to turn this Champions Trophy warm-up match against Bangladesh on its head. Coming in at No. 9, he helped add 93 in 41 balls for the ninth wicket to take his side to an unlikely victory and make an all-but-undeniable claim for selection in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy side.Sadly for Faheem, this match will barely rate a footnote in the record books. With both sides able to utilise substitutes and Edgbaston sporting a remarkably short boundary towards the Pershore Road side of the ground (it measured just 42 metres, or 47 yards) in an effort to ensure the best surfaces were protected for more important matches, the game will not even be regarded as a List A encounter.But let nobody say this innings came in a soft or contrived manner. At various stages, Pakistan had looked doomed to a fourth one-day defeat in succession against Bangladesh – Bangladesh won the last series between the sides, in April 2015, 3-0 – as they subsided to 168 for 5, 227 for 6 and, in the 42nd over, 242 for 7.That meant they required exactly 100 from the final eight-and-a-half overs. But Faheem, who thinks of his seam bowling as his stronger suit, struck four sixes – none of them over the short boundary – and four fours to take his side over the line.He launched the assault by taking 19 off an untidy over from Mehedi Miraz, followed it with 16 off one from Mashrafe Mortaza and, with 13 required from the last, eased his side’s nerves with a vast pull for six from the first ball of the final over over the longest boundary in the ground.While it was his straight hitting that was most impressive – think of Darren Sammy at his best – it was noticeable that, when Bangladesh dropped short in an attempt to push him onto the back foot, he pulled with powerful assurance. It was, by any standards, a wonderfully persuasive performance by a man pushing for an international debut.Perhaps, had Mustafizur Rahman been playing – he was rested – things might have been different. Taskin Ahmed seemed to tire noticeably as the innings progressed and Shakib Al Hasan did not bowl his whole allocation of overs. But such was Faheem’s power that the Bangladesh bowlers’ ploy of making him hit towards the long boundary was negated and even the experience of Mortaza could find no answer for his clean hitting down the ground.Maybe we should suspend judgement on Faheem. This was a warm-up game, after all, without the large crowds or media scrutiny of a tournament match. But if he replicates anything like this in the game against India a week tomorrow – and it is hard to see how he could be left out of a Pakistan side that has been looking for a seam-bowling all-rounder since what seems the dawn of time – a star really will have been born.There was one other major caveat to this performance. The Bangladesh fielding was, at times, really quite appalling. At least five potential catches were dropped – including Faheem in the final over, allowing him to run three – and one important stumping was missed.Coming on the heels of a match against New Zealand where Bangladesh won despite dropping four chances it underlined the impression that their fielding is a major area of concern going into the Champions Trophy. As Imrul Kayes put it afterwards with a lovely hint of understatement: “I think we need a few more fielding sessions… That’s why we lost the match.”The shame of that is that, for a vast chunk of this game, Bangladesh were the better side. With Tamim Iqbal slamming a century, they set a total that we may well come to think of as something around par in a tournament that looks set to be hugely enjoyable for batsman and a complete nightmare for bowlers.After a relatively cautious start (he scored only 8 from his first 17 balls), Tamim thrashed 43 from his next 22 as he made full use of the short boundary and any width offered by Pakistan’s seamers. Imrul added a run-a-ball 61, Mushfiqur Rahim a typically pugnacious 46 and Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain some impetus towards the end of the innings.With Mohammad Amir rested, Pakistan’s attack offered plenty of pace but no obvious control. Junaid Khan was taken for 25 in one over, Mushfiqur struck Imad Wasim for successive sixes and Wahab Riaz, who cannot be assured of his place in the side, was as mercurial as ever. While Hasan Ali, who could be the unfortunate man to make way for Amir’s return now that Faheem has made such a strong case for selection, leg-spinner Shahdab Khan and Faheem offered a little more control, this was a tough target for a Pakistan side who have made 340 in an ODI only once – and that against Zimbabwe – since the 2015 World Cup.And, for much of their innings, it seemed they had no chance of reaching it. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam both perished poking at balls outside off stump before Ahmed Shahzad’s promising innings was ended by a beauty from Shakib Al Hasan that gripped just a little and took his off bail. While Shoaib Malik, who was dropped on 8, and Mohammad Hafeez added 79 in 12.3 overs for the fourth-wicket to provide some hope, when they went and Sarfraz Ahmed soon followed, it seemed their chances departed with them.But Imad, who survived a stumping chance on 39, kept the chase alive before Faheem delivered his knock-out blow in partnership with Hasan.Insisting he was expecting to force his way into the side before the first match of the tournament – he was a non-playing member of the limited-overs team in the Caribbean – Faheem said he produced such innings “a lot” in first-class cricket – though a List A average of 15.52 with one half-century underlined that his shorter-format batting record is modest – and thanked his captain and coach for “their belief in me.””It’s the first innings I’ve played for Pakistan,” he said. “In first-class cricket I’ve played a lot of innings like that, but that’s the first one in one-day cricket. On one side, the boundary was very small. But they were bowling in good areas and we thought we would hit straight down the ground. I have an ability to hit straight.”He sure does. And while few will recall the details of such a warm-up game in a couple of weeks, his promise might mean that a Pakistan side seen as rank outsiders go into the tournament with hopes just a little higher.

Lions have an enviable top order once again, but the bowling attack appears thin, especially considering the absence of the injured Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo from the first few matches

The Preview by Annesha Ghosh04-Apr-20173:45

Agarkar: Not convinced by Gujarat Lions bowling

Likely first-choice XIBrendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch, Suresh Raina (capt), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ishan Kishan, James Faulkner, Praveen Kumar, Shadab Jakati, Dhawal Kulkarni, Shivil KaushikReservesBatsmen – 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 NathStrengthsA 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.WeaknessesTheir 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•BCCIWhat 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 availabilityBravo’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 2016With 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.Poll

كشفت تقارير صحفية أن أحد أندية الدوري الأمريكي يجري محادثات مع لاعب فريق ميلان، أوليفيه جيرو، بشأن خطوة محتملة في الصيف المقبل.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للاعب الفرنسي مع نادي ميلان، نهاية الموسم الحالي، أي في صيف 2024.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | ميسي وسواريز يقودان إنتر ميامي لاكتساح أورلاندو سيتي بخماسية في الدوري الأمريكي

وحسبما ذكرت شبكة “ذا أثلتيك” العالمية، فإن أوليفيه جيرو مطلوب في الدوري الأمريكي خلال موسم الانتقالات الصيفي لهذا العام.

وأفادت أن نادي لوس أنجلوس يجري محادثات متقدمة مع جيرو بشأن خطوة محتملة للحصول على خدماته في الميركاتو الصيفي.

وأشارت إلى أن النادي الأمريكي يقود سباق المنافسة على ضم صاحب الـ37 عامًا، مع العلم أن إمكانية البقاء في ميلان أو التوجه إلى الشرق الأوسط مطروحة أيضًا على طاولة جيرو.

وفي حال انضمام جيرو إلى لوس أنجلوس، فإنه سيلعب من جديد مع زميله السابق في منتخب فرنسا الحارس هوجو لوريس الذي وقع للنادي الأمريكي في وقت سابق من هذا العام.

عقد الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم بقيادة حسام حسن المدير الفني وإبراهيم حسن مدير المنتخب اجتماعًا مع اللاعبين في حضور جمال علام رئيس مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة.

ويأتي اجتماع منتخب مصر على هامش معسكر المنتخب المقام بالقاهرة استعدادًا للدورة الودية المقرر إقامتها بمصر بمشاركة منتخبات نيوزيلندا وتونس وكرواتيا.

وتستضيف مصر منافسات الدورة الودية خلال الفترة من 22 وحتى 26 مارس الجاري، بعد نقلها من الإمارات.

ووجه جمال علام في بداية حديثه التهنئة للجهاز الفني للمنتخب بعد تولي مهمة تدريب الفراعنة وأنه يثق في الجهاز الفني الحالي واللاعبين على تحقيق آمال وطموحات المصريين في البطولات والاستحقاقات المقبلة، وبناء فريق قوي، وأن اتحاد الكرة سيعمل جاهدًا على توفير جميع متطلبات المنتخب.

طالع | منتخب مصر يعلن موعد ومكان أول تدريباته بقيادة حسام حسن

كما رحب حسام حسن المدير الفني للمنتخب باللاعبين والتأكيد على أن مصر تستحق الأفضل ورفع اسم منتخب مصر عاليًا في المحافل الدولية وهذا لن يأتي إلا بالجهد و العرق، وأن باب المنتخب مفتوح للجميع ومن يبذل قصارى جهده، وضرورة إسعاد الشعب المصري المتعطش لتحقيق المنتخب للألقاب في الفترة المقبلة.

وطالب إبراهيم حسن مدير منتخب مصر، اللاعبين عقب ترحيبه بهم، بضرورة بذل قصارى جهدهم وإعادة هيبة اسم منتخب بلدهم، وأن الفترة المقبلة تحتاج لتضافر الجهود من الجميع لتصحيح صورة المنتخب وإسعاد الشعب المصري، خاصة أن المنتخب لم يحقق أي بطولات منذ ٢٠١٠، و أن المنتخب لن يضم إلا اللاعب المقاتل والذي يستحق قميص المنتخب.

A round-up of the CSA T20 Challenge matches played on November 19, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2016

The Cobras earned their first victory of the season after defending 163 against the Warriors. The franchise have lost three out of five first-class matches and their first two T20 matches as they continue to battle player concerns over the capability of coach Paul Adams. But Adam could smile for a change after Wayne Parnell, Kieron Pollard and George Linde took the team to victory.Parnell was coming back from a rib injury sustained during South Africa’s ODI series against Australia. He opened the batting with Richard Levi, who departed early, and scored 61 off 51 balls. He lacked support until joined by Pollard, whose 50 off 27 balls earned him the batsman of the match award. The pair scored 78 off 50 balls at a rate of almost 10 an over to ensure the Cobras compiled a competitive total.In reply, the Warriors were in early trouble at 58 for 5. Left-arm spinners Linde and Rory Kleinveldt did the damage but Colin Ackermann resisted. His 60 off 41 balls was one of only four scores in double figures in the innings and the only one of more than 22. The Warriors sit mid-table with one loss and one win so far.David Miller’s career-best T20 score was not enough for the Knights to beat the Titans in a last-ball thriller that was decided by a no-ball. The Titans’ victory keep them at the top of the table, eight points clear of their nearest challenger.At 10 for 2, the Knights ceded the early control as veteran allrounder Albie Morkel struck. Miller and Pite van Biljon shared 91 for the third wicket, with van Biljon only a minor contributor. His 28 off 31 balls offered only companionship for Miller, who stood man alone in building the total. Miller’s century came off 56 balls and his eventual strike rate was a shave under 200. He was particularly harsh on Junior Dala, whose four overs cost 57 runs.The Titans stayed on course in the chase, with all their batsmen chipping in. Heinrich Klaasen’s 50 off 27 balls started them off well before Farhaan Behardien and David Wiese kept them in the hunt.They were dismissed off successive balls – Wiese off the last of the penultimate over and Behardien the first of the final over – to leave the Knights needing five runs off the last five balls. Shadley van Schalkwyk was bowling and he gave away only two runs off the next three balls before a bye was conceded, leaving the Titans with two to get off the final ball. That’s when van Schalkwyk overstepped and the Titans took a single to win the game.

Liverpool are interested in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, having just plucked Alexis Mac Allister from the Seagulls' ranks.

That's according to the Telegraph, who claim that while Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United lead the charge for the Ecuadorian talent, Jurgen Klopp's Reds could enter the race.

Albion will demand more than £70m for their 21-year-old enforcer, with the Gunners failing with a bid of that value in January – with his club unwilling to sell at the season's midpoint. Previous reports stipulate it could well cost as much as £80m.

Caicedo penned a new deal at the Amex earlier this year, but this is not expected to dissuade his mounting pile of suitors, and while Liverpool will seek prudence in the market this summer, a signing of his calibre could be too sweet to resist.

How good is Moises Caicedo?

Only last season, the £60k-per-week Caicedo plied his trade out on loan in the Jupiler Pro League before earning a winter recall and starting Brighton's closing eight matches of the Premier League campaign, scoring one goal and supplying one assist.

He has replicated his direct return this year, starting 34 times in the league, and now stands as one of the most robust and unwavering midfielders in the division, and the interest from the division's top outfits is unequivocally warranted.

For Liverpool, he is exactly the kind of energetic and unflinching midfielder Klopp needs to rekindle the former verve, with the Reds falling by the wayside this term and finishing fifth, now facing a campaign in the Europa League.

Described as Ecuador's "crown jewel" by historian Enrico Castro-Montes, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as well as the top 15% for attempted passes, the top 13% for rate of tackles and the top 11% for rate of interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

While he boasts a somewhat different skill set to Liverpool's pass master, Thiago Alcantara, he could be the perfect heir to return the Anfield centre to its more industrious roots.

Thiago, for all of his flair and elegance, is incessantly tethered to the medical department and is out of contract in one year's time. Indeed, at 32-years-old Klopp will no doubt be seeking a successor. The German could well find that in Caicedo, a brute capable of easily displacing Liverpool's number 6.

The £200k-per-week Spaniard ranks among the top 3% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for attempted passes, the top 4% for progressive passes, the top 4% for rate of tackles and the top 11% for rate of interceptions, illustrating the impact Caicedo could make, with Thiago heralded as "a special player" by teammate Andy Robertson.

Caicedo, who has been dubbed "terrific" by South American football expert Tim Vickery, has been riding the crest of a wave with the Seagulls this season and has led them to their first-ever European campaign with a sixth-place finish, and while Albion are on the up, the allure of playing a central role in the resurgence on Merseyside could leave Liverpool with an imperious new midfield enforcer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to recruit this summer, after a challenging Premier League campaign.

The Midlands club saw a drastic change of fortunes when Julen Lopetegui took charge from Bruno Lage, who recorded just one win in his final 15 games at the helm.

The Spaniard has got Wolves back to playing attractive football and securing results to keep them firmly in the top division, however, it is expected to be a busy summer for the former Real Madrid boss.

With forwards such as Ansu Fati and Viktor Gyokeres already linked to a potential move to Molineux, the club are reportedly eyeing a midfield starlet from Ligue 1, who has impressed this season in France.

What’s the latest on Habib Diarra to Wolves?

The Sun reported earlier this week Wolves are one of the clubs monitoring the movements of Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra.

The 19-year-old is a hot topic in the Midlands, with rivals Aston Villa also a club eyeing the youngster.

It’s suggested by the report that the asking price will be £20m this summer, with nine clubs flagged as having an interest in the prodigy who is contracted until 2027.

How could Habib Diarra improve Wolves?

Transfer speculation surrounding Molineux has been dominated by the narrative of Ruben Neves’ future, however, Lopetegui may not need to look further than the Strasbourg star this summer.

While the Portuguese ace plays a deeper role in midfield in Wolves’ system, Diarra could become his natural heir in a more advanced area, showcasing strengths that surpass those of the Wolves captain.

The 26-year-old has played a pivotal role in Lopetegui’s attack and despite playing as a number eight, is the club’s joint-highest goalscorer this season with six goals in the league.

With the introduction of Mario Lemina, the Spaniard has added strength in midfield, allowing the potentially departing star to be more progressive, which could open the door for Diarra to fill his vacant position.

As per FBref, the 19-year-old excels in comparison to Neves in a range of valued attributes in midfield, averaging 3.92 progressive carries to the Portugal international’s 0.85 per 90.

Lining up as a defensive midfielder for Strasbourg hasn’t limited the youngsters' threat going forward, with him averaging 2.30 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, with the Wolves skipper scoring just 0.76 per 90 in that area.

Hailed as “dazzling” by Foot Mercato’s Sebastian Denis, the rising star could be a revelation signing in the pursuit to fill the boots of Neves who is likely to depart this summer.

With increased interest throughout Europe speculated, the Spaniard must act fast to secure the prodigy’s signature.

Tottenham Hotspur chief Daniel Levy is set for "key meetings" imminently and "in the coming days" as he steps up plans to appoint a new manager.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

As Spurs and interim boss Ryan Mason gear up for their noon kick-off against Brentford in the Premier League, Levy and co are pursuing Antonio Conte's replacement behind-the-scenes.

The overwhelming favourite for the job, as things stand, appears to be Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as reports over the last week indicate he is a frontrunner.

That being said, other candidates certainly aren't out of the race, with Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim, Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and even Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou all in the running.

Tottenham had been interested in the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Burnley's Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen, but for various reasons, the trio are out of contention for now.

Nagelsmann is ruled out of the running, while Kompany has committed his future to Burnley by signing a new long term contract and Alonso has publicly declared he's staying in Germany.

Spurs have been running out of options lately, but according to a report by The Daily Mail and reliable journalist Sami Mokbel, Levy is narrowing down his list of candidates as he homes in on top choices.

Sharing a promising update on Tottenham's manager search, Mokbel claims the Spurs chairman is set for "key meetings" and "in the coming days" as Levy steps up his pursuit for Conte's successor.

It is believed both Slot and former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique "lead the race", and while Spurs insist there is no clear first choice, it appears they're certainly on their way to settling on priority names soon.

Slot has impressed Spurs hierarchy but Enrique could be deemed a more safe option – especially given his years of experience at the very top level.

Who should Tottenham appoint?

If Levy wishes to appoint a young, exciting and attack-minded project manager, he should look no further than Slot, who has just clinched his first ever Eredivisie title with Feyenoord.

Drawing comparisons to Man United manager Erik ten Hag, the 44-year-old has been heralded by his homeland's media as an exceptional tactician, with Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan saying this on Slot to talkSPORT:

"He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same time,"“He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

While Enrique is a free agent and readily-available for hire, Slot comes as a very intriguing option, with the only obstacle being Feyenoord.

Liverpool look set to secure the services of Wolves teenager Harvey Owen in a deal worth up to £800,000.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Jurgen Klopp and FSG are set for a busy summer in the transfer window, with the manager set to play a big role in the club’s off-field decisions. New midfielders are thought to be an area of priority for the Reds when strengthening their first-team, but it seems as if adding to their academy ranks also won’t be forgotten.

The club brought in Ben Doak from Celtic last summer, with the 17-year-old already making his Premier League debut, turning out on five occasions at senior level. It looks as if Liverpool have their eyes on another exciting gem in Owen, with an update emerging in the last 48 hours.

According to The Secret Scout on Twitter, the Reds are set to complete a deal for the 14-year-old. He has been offered a pre-scholarship deal on Merseyside and a transfer could rise to £800,000 in total, more than the £600,000 the club paid for Doak.

Who is Owen?

As mentioned, Owen is still just 14 years of age, however, he has already caught the eye for Wolves. A right-footed defender who can play in a back three or back four, Owen was praised by Wolves academy coach Wes Hughes, who believes the teenager can “can surprise a few” in the future, while also sharing an interaction between Owen and former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.

"Harvey was introduced to the group last year as a 13-year-old playing in the under-15s youth cup. The boys went on and did quite well in the competition and got to the semi-final – Harvey was a part of that journey and the boys really took to him as a younger player.

"We recently played at Tottenham and he had a nice pat on the back from an ex-player in Yaya Toure. He personally went up to Harvey and said that he had a lot of potential and would be a really good player in the future, so I think he'll be really proud of that."

The Reds appear to rate Owen highly in order to be willing to pay a six-figure fee for his services, so the England U15 international could be a name to keep an eye on in the Anfield academy in years to come.