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West Ham United are leading the race for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, according to a recent report from The Sun.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

The main transfer saga surrounding West Ham this summer will be about Declan Rice, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg recently reporting the midfielder could join Arsenal "immediately", despite the interest from Bayern Munich.

Plettenberg also claims Rice has held a telephone conversation with Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel, while it has previously been reported that both Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in the Irons captain.

With the 24-year-old seemingly heading for the exit door, David Moyes is now tasked with finding a suitable replacement, and the Hammers have recently been linked with moves for the likes of Conor Gallagher and Fabio Carvalho.

Another option for the Hammers appears to be Ward-Prowse, and they are now leading the race for the Southampton captain, who could cost as much as £40m, according to a report from The Sun.

The Saints are looking to fund a summer rebuild following their relegation from the Premier League, and they hope to receive a large fee for the 28-year-old, as he will be in high demand, and he still has three years remaining on his deal.

West Ham have tracked the central midfielder for a long time, and they are keen to bring him in alongside Fulham's Joao Palhinha, with both players being targeted to replace Rice.

Should West Ham sign James Ward-Prowse?

Hailed as "sensational" by pundit Darren Bent, the Englishman has, on a personal level, had a fantastic season in the Premier League, creating a remarkable 74 chances, the seventh-highest figure of any player in the top flight.

The midfielder, who shares the same agency as Gianluca Scamacca, played every single game for the Saints, being utilised in both attacking and defensive roles, and he has exhibited a number of different qualities over the past year, ranking in the 82nd percentile for interceptions, and in the 87th for non-penalty goals.

The 2022-23 campaign was not the first time the England international played every match for Southampton, as he became a Premier League record holder by becoming the first midfielder to play every minute of consecutive Premier League campaigns back in 2021.

Given that Rice also very rarely misses games, Ward-Prowse would be a like-for-like replacement in that regard, while he also poses more of a threat on the front foot, and he would be a very solid signing for West Ham.

Hampshire’s bowlers held their nerve to complete a nine-run win over Sussex at Hove and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup

ECB Reporters Network27-Jul-2016
ScorecardJimmy Adams’ 92 helped lay the platform for Hampshire•Getty ImagesHampshire’s bowlers held their nerve to complete a nine-run win over Sussex at Hove and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Royal London Cup.Chasing 269 to win, a fifth wicket stand of 125 in 17.3 overs between Chris Nash and Ben Brown gave Sussex hope after they had been 109 for 4 from 29. But Brown was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Lewis McManus diving to his right after making a List A best of 62 from 56 balls midway through the 47th over.The 48th over began with 31 needed but Brad Wheal conceded just three runs from it and Sussex’s race was run when Chris Jordan, who had just driven the second ball of the 49th over for six over extra cover, was bowled off the next delivery by Ryan McLaren. Sussex required 17 from the final over but Wheal restricted them to seven runs as they finished on 259 for 6 with Nash undefeated on 68 from 74 balls.Hampshire had earlier been indebted to a stylish 92 from opener Jimmy Adams and some late-order hitting by South African allrounder McLaren after they had been put in under overcast skies with the floodlights on from the start.Adams scored his runs from 97 balls with ten fours, and a six off Harry Finch in the same over that he reached his half-century. The opener shared a second-wicket stand of 87 in 15.2 overs with Adam Wheater (42) who was superbly run out by Jordan’s throw on the run from extra cover with only one stump to aim at.Hampshire struggled for momentum for a while after Wheater’s dismissal. Adams was fourth out in the 34th over, one of three victims for left-armer George Garton who surprised Adams with a bouncer which he could only touch to wicket keeper Brown.Garton, fresh from taking four wickets for England Lions on Tuesday, bowled with good pace in three spells down the slope to finish with 3 for 40 and also pulled off a stunning catch at square leg to remove Tom Alsop.In the absence of Bangladesh left-armer Mustafizur Rahman, who is unlikely to play for the county again because of a shoulder injury, Jofra Archer impressed on his first List A appearance at Hove with 1 for 46, occasionally finding some steepling bounce on a good pitch. It needed some robust hitting from McLaren to get Hampshire to a competitive score. He made an unbeaten 46 from 39 balls from No.6 and those runs were to prove crucial.Sussex were 81 for 3 after 22 overs of their reply with Ed Joyce, Phil Salt and Finch all unable to capitalise on starts but their chase was given impetus by Luke Wright, who made 45 from 60 balls. The Sussex skipper looked in the mood until he drove a full toss from Wheal to mid-on and departed mortified by his misjudgement.Brown and Nash took responsibility but fell short and a fifth defeat out of six has left Sussex with virtually no chance of reaching the last eight.

Some of South Africa’s international players will be unavailable for at least the first half of the domestic 20-over competition, which will impact CSA’s ability to grow the profile of the tournament

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-2016

Some of South Africa’s international players will be unavailable for at least the first half of the domestic 20-over competition, which will impact CSA’s ability to grow the profile of the tournament. The fixtures of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge were announced on Tuesday and the tournament is scheduled to run from November 12 to December 16, which overlaps with the Test team’s tour to Australia that ends on November 28.This means international players, including Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, will only feature peripherally in the tournament, despite CSA’s desire to have their big names available for as much of the competition as possible. Such was South Africa’s desire to try and promote their shortest format like India, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies and England have done, that they moved a Test in Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa from mid-December to mid-January to free up the holiday period for Ram Slam T20. Although they have achieved that, the first 18 matches of the 32-game tournament will take place with the Test team playing fixtures in Hobart and Adelaide.South Africa’s 20-over competition has struggled to gain the same glamour as some of its counterparts for two reasons. Chiefly, it has not attracted enough international stars, not even from South Africa, and this will only change in the second half of the event this year. The tournament has also been unable to contract too many big names as the declining Rand is an unattractive currency, and the timing of the tournament is awkward for many players. In some years, it clashed with the Big Bash League. In a few seasons, it has clashed with Test fixtures in other countries.The competition has retained its sponsor for now. Courier company RAM were reviewing their backing of the tournament after last season’s competition was marred by match-fixing allegations which saw Gulam Bodi banned for 20 years for attempting to manipulate matches. CSA insists Bodi did not succeed. The investigation into the allegations has not reached its conclusion with the South African board still expected to name other players it intends to sanction.The rest of South Africa’s domestic season will take place as normal, beginning with the four-day competition that is split into two rounds of five matches each. The one-day cup will be played in a single block in February and March, when the national side will be in New Zealand, which also makes them unavailable for those games.The second-tier semi-professional tournament still includes Namibia and will be played as three-day and one-day fixtures but the 20-over tournament has fallen away in favour of the season-opening Africa Cup. Now in its second edition, the Africa Cup is played over four weekends with the table-topping team from each pool advancing to a finals weekend. All teams play only three matches and it also includes teams from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.

Paris Saint-Germain could make a fresh move for Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech in the summer transfer window, a new update has suggested.

Is Ziyech a key man at Chelsea?

The Moroccan has had a frustrating season at Stamford Bridge, struggling to consistently become a key player under both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. The 30-year-old has only actually started six Premier League games in total, with another seven appearances coming from the substitutes' bench, and just one start has come his way in the Champions League.

Back in January, it looked as though Ziyech could depart Chelsea, with PSG looking to strike a deal to sign him late in the window. In the end, however, the transfer failed to go through and the Morocco international remained in west London for the remainder of this season.

Given his lack of playing time, though, it looks as though a summer departure could be likely, even though his current Blues deal doesn't expire until 2025. A fresh update further suggests as much, with PSG seemingly refusing to go away quietly.

Could winger be off to PSG?

According to Football Insider, the French giants are "set to rekindle their interest" in Ziyech this summer, as they look to acquire the services of a long-time target. Since the January move failed to come to fruition, PSG have "continued to monitor and stay in touch" with the Chelsea man and "they are on the lookout for cheaper deals", which is where he comes into play.

Todd Boehly is also thought to be looking to trim his squad once the summer arrives and Ziyech is someone who doesn't appear to be a key part of the club's plans moving forward. It's added that PSG are "preparing another bid" to sign the World Cup star.

There is no denying the 50-cap and 19-goal Morocco international's ability as a footballer – he has been described as "incredible" by his international manager, Walid Regragui – but moving him on at the end of this season does feel like the most logical decision by Chelsea.

He has become a bit-part player, flitting in and out of matches and failing to score in the league in 2022/23 to date, and he himself is surely keen on the prospect of a new challenge where he could be more of a regular starter.

Ultimately, Ziyech's time at Chelsea has been arguably adequate but little more, although there is still time for him to go out with a bang and help inspire the Blues to Champions League glory under Frank Lampard.

Everton have improved under Sean Dyche, with his appointment following the sacking of Frank Lampard giving the club a decent chance of retaining their Premier League status.

He has lost three times in the league since taking charge and with a few more positive results in the run in, the Toffees should be safe.

Jordan Pickford has been solid in the previous two matches, averaging a rating of 7.1/10 and he could be key over the remaining few months of the campaign.

The goalkeeper has made over 200 appearances for the club and with a contract that runs until 2027, he still has a few years left at the top.

Dyche might not need to look far for an heir to the England international, with a young keeper in the academy looking like he could well be ready to make the step-up to senior level in the next couple of years – Zan-Luk Leban.

Who is Zan-Luk Leban?

The 20-year-old has already excelled at youth level for both club and country during his short career. He joined Everton from Polish side FCB Escola Varsovia and although his first season was disrupted by injury, he has gone on to excel.

Across the U18 and U21 age groups, he has made 66 appearances, keeping 14 clean sheets in that time.

He also has experience at international level too, with the keeper playing 15 times at youth level for Slovenia across the U16 and U17 levels while making his U21 debut recently, proving that his country value him as potentially one of the players who could take over from Jan Oblak when he eventually retires.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland has previously dubbed the player “exceptional” and the 6 foot 2 titan certainly displayed his qualities during the EFL Trophy this season, playing four matches in the competition.

He averaged a rating of 6.83/10 via Sofascore, while conceding just two goals from those four games and making 2.5 saves per game – a success rate of 83% and these stats are evident that he can perform to a high standard moving up a level and facing senior opposition, which will stand him in good stead for the future.

Dyche appears to have a future gem on his hands in Leban and although Pickford is the undisputed starter at the moment, the cup competitions could be an area where he is unleashed next term.

Arsenal are reportedly ready to make a move for Atalanta sensation, Rasmus Hojlund, this summer, albeit with the Gunners set to face stern competition for the Dane’s signature.

What’s the latest on Hojlund to Arsenal?

According to Italian outlet La Repubblica – via Sports Witness – the Gunners are said to be ‘closely monitoring’ the 20-year-old amid his bright start to life in Italy, with the former Sturm Graz man having only joined his current side for a fee of around €17m (£15m) back in August 2022.

The report suggests that the north London outfit – as well as La Liga giants Real Madrid – are preparing a ‘monstrous offer’ for the two-cap sensation, despite having only recently secured the signing of fellow forward Gabriel Jesus ahead of this season.

A further piece from Calciomercato claims that any potential deal would not come cheap, however, with the Bergamo outfit likely to demand at least €50m (£44m) if they are to part ways with the towering asset any time soon.

Could Hojlund be the next Haaland?

Arsenal’s sporting director Edu will likely have been encouraged by the striker’s adaptation to life in Serie A in recent months, with Hojlund having scored six goals and provided two assists in 19 league games this season.

The Copenhagen native – who previously scored 12 goals in just 21 games during his brief, six-month spell in Austria – most recently caught the eye as a result of his display in the win over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, at one stage showing remarkable speed to burst clear of the home defence, only to ultimately fire his effort straight at the ‘keeper.

Despite failing to convert that gilt-edged opening, the manner in which the promising striker tore away from those around him was truly impressive, having subsequently been lauded as “scary quick” by journalist Sacha Pisani.

Witnessing that remarkable breakaway only added fuel to the fire with regard to the 6 foot 4 gem’s apparent likeness to fellow Scandinavian star, Erling Haaland, with the latter man – who stands at 6 foot 5 and is also left-footed – having been praised for his “blistering pace” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.

That comparison between the pair has been noted by Hojlund himself, with the youngster having stated last year: “I see parallels between myself and Erling Haaland. He is fast, left-footed, tall, has a good nose for goal and is a classy finisher. His mentality is also completely insane!”

Those comments have since been followed by the praise of Atalanta boss, Gian Piero Gasperini, with the experienced coach providing his thoughts on the similarity between the pair: “Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He has very similar characteristics to Haaland, not just his face.”

To think that the Gunners could be able to land their answer to the Manchester City machine is a truly mouthwatering prospect, with the Norwegian superstar having been recognised as the “best striker in the world” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Despite some early teething problems following his summer switch from Borussia Dortmund – where he netted 86 goals in only 89 games across all fronts – the 22-year-old has still racked up 26 league goals this season so far, with 32 goals in just 31 games in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side.

To be able to land their own version of the ruthless figurehead in the form of Hojlund could well help Mikel Arteta’s side to build on their rampant form next season.

The onus will now be on Edu to get that deal over the line…

Mauricio Pochettino admitted that he is yet to feel loved by Chelsea fans after a poor start to his maiden campaign at Stamford Bridge.

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• Pochettino does not feel loved at Chelsea
• Blues are currently 11th in the Premier League
• They have reached the final of the Carabao Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Tottenham Hotspur coach did not have the best of starts to his journey as Chelsea boss as the Blues have already lost 10 matches in the Premier League in 23 outings and are currently ranked 11th in the league.

  Unlike most of his predecessors at the club, which include managers like Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel, and Antonio Conte, who have all been adored by the fans, Pochettino claimed that he is yet to feel the love of the fans although they have been respectful to the Argentine.

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• WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

  When asked if he felt the love of the Blues fans, the former Paris Saint-Germain coach said, "No, no, I need to be honest with you, no because I understand they were winning the Champions League, they won cups, the Premier League. Why are the fans going to love me after six, or seven months?

  "We are in a final but we are not in a good position in the table in the Premier League. I think at the moment I feel the respect from the fans, I see them on the street and they are all nice to me, but I cannot lie."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the club's performance has been below par in the league, they did manage to reach the final of the Carabao Cup where they are set to face Liverpool on February 25. They also recently beat Aston Villa 3-1 to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  The Blues will aim to get back to winning ways on Monday as they take on an out-of-form Crystal Palace side in the Premier League.

Dinesh Karthik will lead the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League 2018. It will be his first season with them, having been bought at the auction in February for INR 7.4 crores (approx USD 1.1 million). An old hand, Robin Uthappa, who was also among the top contenders for the job, has been appointed vice-captain.

Venkatesh Prasad joins Kings XI Punjab

Venkatesh Prasad was announced as Kings XI Punjab’s bowling coach on Sunday. He had recently quit as chairman of India’s junior selection panel in anticipation of picking up a job at the IPL and keeping both positions would have left him on the wrong side of the conflict of interest rules as advocated by the Lodha panel.
Prasad was the bowling coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008 during the first season of the IPL. He then took the same role at Chennai Super Kings from 2009-10 before moving back to Royal Challengers between 2011-13.

Karthik, 32, has been part of the IPL since its inception in 2008, and he has played for five different teams – Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and most recently Gujarat Lions. He has also been stand-in captain for some of those teams, and has long been part of the leadership group with his home state Tamil Nadu.”I think the thing that stood out is that DK is at the age now in his career where he’s got the best years of his career in front of him,” assistant coach Simon Katich told . “He’s been involved in the IPL for 10 years. He’s got a fantastic domestic record captaining Tamil Nadu in the T20 tournament there. I think he’s got a 72% win-rate which is outstanding as a T20 skipper.”Karthik takes over from Gautam Gambhir, who is the Knight Riders’ leading run-scorer and took them to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. Venky Mysore, the CEO of the franchise, said they were keen to retain Gambhir for the 2018 season as well but the player had asked for a fresh start. It appears KKR are also chasing the same by putting a man who is yet to make his debut for them as their captain.”The team that Gambhir led in the last seven years, I think he’s done a fabulous job. “Karthik said. “He’s left a sort of legacy which is the kind of thing I’d like to do, where you leave the team in good hands, and you take a team that was probably doing well and take it to a different level altogether. I would definitely like to be a part of that journey.”Knight Riders went all out to pick up the lynch pins of India’s Under-19 World Cup winning squad – Shubman Gill (approx USD 281,000), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (approx USD 500,000) and Shivam Mavi (approx USD 468,000) – and Karthik was keen to see how they fare in the IPL. “It’s a very young side. There are few very interesting talents from the India Under-19s that we’ve picked up. I’m really looking forward to meeting them, interacting with them and getting the best out of them.”Uthappa, the 32-year old who has played for the Knight Riders since 2014, might have missed out on the chance to lead them on account of limited captaincy experience. He has been at the helm of eight T20 matches, whereas Karthik’s corresponding figure is 18.”To come in at this role is really exciting for me,” Uthappa said. “I’ve been able to add value to the team in the past in different scenarios in different forms. This gives me a more direct impact within the decision-making group so I hope to be adding the kind of value that bring us championships.”I’m sure all of Kolkata will be right behind DK, as will I and as will the rest of the team. I’m going to be available to DK anytime he needs me, always ready to share my inputs. DK and I have known each other since our Under-17 days, so looking forward to working with him”The 11th season of the IPL begins on April 7 in Mumbai.

USWNT star Emily Fox has been reunited with Alessia Russo at Arsenal, after playing college soccer together at the University of North Carolina.

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Fox signs for ArsenalReunited with college teammate RussoLook ahead to Gunner's scheduleWHAT HAPPENED?

After confirming her transfer to West London from the North Carolina Courage, it became a realization that Fox would be reunited with her former college teammate. The Tarheels duo won the 2019 NCAA championship together and were runners-up in 2018.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT FOX POSTED

In 2019, Fox posted a photo of her and teammates – including Russo – on Instagram. Pictured is a 19-year-old version of the England phenom and a 21-year-old USWNT star.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Russo and Fox already having chemistry will be a major boost for the Gunners, but the pure concept of adding the USWNT star is a simple improvement in their defense. A rock-solid defender, Fox will compete for minutes at the fullback position while also offering an attacking presence on the pitch. With Katie McCabe opposite at left fullback, Arsenal could immediately be looked at as having the best fullback duo in the WSL.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR FOX AND ARSENAL

The Gunners are back in action on Sunday against Watford in the FA Cup, before returning on January 20 in WSL action against Everton. Fox could make her debut in either contest, but it's more likely to be the latter.

Lucy Bronze admits it did not “seem quite fair” that she had to field a yellow card request from England’s Euro 2022 final hero Chloe Kelly.

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Wiegman's side claimed continental gloryWere hanging on to extra-time goalWilling to try every trick in the book late onWHAT HAPPENED?

Towards the end of an epic clash with Germany at Wembley Stadium, the Lionesses found themselves clinging on to the slenderest of leads – with Manchester City winger Kelly having edged them in front during extra-time.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wild celebrations led to Kelly being booked for taking off her shirt, meaning that others had to step up when it came to running down the clock. Bronze formed part of that process, in her role as a buccaneering full-back, with Sarina Wiegman’s side having to dig in and do the dirty work in order to get their hands on a historic piece of silverware.

WHAT BRONZE SAID

Bronze, who is now on the books of Catalan giants Barcelona, has told of her memories from the Euro 2022 final: “A lot of that game is a blur – the biggest moment I remember was time wasting in the corner with Chloe Kelly and Ella Toone! Chloe told me to take a yellow card because she already had one for taking her top off after scoring. I thought, ‘You’ve got a yellow card because you scored the winner in the final and you’re going to become an icon; I’m going to get a yellow card for wasting time from a throw-in – this doesn’t seem quite fair!’ Hundreds of thousands were watching and in that moment we were having a laugh – no one else was part of that apart from the three of us in that corner!”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

Bronze and Kelly went close to landing England another major honour at the 2023 World Cup, only to see the Lionesses fall agonisingly short in a 1-0 final defeat to Spain. A star-studded squad is, however, brimming with potential and more challenges are expected at future tournaments.