Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has been a long-time transfer target for West Ham this summer and a significant update has now emerged.

How old is Dominic Solanke?

The former Liverpool striker is still only 25 years of age and has matured into an important player for Bournemouth, helping them get back into the Premier League after scoring 29 goals in the Championship in 2021/22.

Last season, Solanke did a solid job back in the top flight, netting six times and registering seven assists, and he has also bagged one of each in his first two league outings of the current campaign, with his goal coming against West Ham.

The Englishman has been continually linked with a summer move to the Hammers, as they eye up attacking additions, having replaced Declan Rice with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse in midfield, and there should still be money left over for further reinforcements higher up the pitch.

Now, a new claim has emerged that suggests the east Londoners are pushing hard to secure the signing of one of their primary summer transfer targets.

Will West Ham sign Dominic Solanke?

According to Football Insider, West Ham have now submitted an offer for Solanke, as they look to seal a significant piece of transfer business:

"West Ham have submitted a formal bid for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, sources have told Football Insider. The offer is believed to be around the £35-40m mark with the London club waiting on a response from their Premier League counterparts.

"Bournemouth also have concrete interest in Solanke from another top-flight English club in the market for a centre-forward. It leaves the future of the England international, 25, up in the air in the final ten days of the summer transfer window."

This is an exciting update from a West Ham perspective, with Solanke now a proven Premier League striker who has the attributes to be a real handful leading the line. In many ways, he is like a younger version of Michail Antonio, possessing his physical power and pace, as well as an eye for goal that has become more ruthless as he has matured as a footballer.

At 25, there is still so much time for the ex-Liverpool man to further improve as a player, perfecting his all-round game, and he could be the ideal competition or replacement for Antonio, allowing David Moyes to rotate his squad more effectively across three different competitions.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Former managers clearly think highly of Solanke as a player, with Gary O'Neil lauding his importance to the cause for Bournemouth last season, saying:

"Dom works his socks off for me and you can see he comes off and we’ve not created loads of chances for him and he’s put in a load of work. People that maybe don’t know, could underestimate how big Dom is for this group. Absolutely massive. I couldn’t ask for a better number nine to go and face the challenges that we’re faced with."

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp described him as "fantastic" during their time together at Liverpool, so West Ham could have a gem on their hands if they can get a deal over the line.

Tottenham Hotspur have now been provided with a significant update on their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba…

Are Tottenham signing a defender?

Ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline, Spurs are still looking to sign a new defender, and Football London have recently given an overview of their potential targets, with Torino's Perr Schuurs still an option, but there will be competition.

Both Arsenal and Liverpool are also interested in the Dutchman, who could cost as much as £35m, although the Italian club would be willing to start negotiations at €20m – €25m (£17m – £21.3m), indicating he could end up being a low-cost signing.

Clement Lenglet and Tosin Adarabioyo are mentioned in the report, with Spurs recently opening talks with Fulham over a move for Adarabioyo, which could end up being a swap deal, with Eric Dier heading to Craven Cottage.

Tapsoba is also named as a potential target, with the report claiming the Burkina Faso international could come in to challenge Cristian Romero for a starting spot, given that he is right-footed, but there has now been an indication he could remain in Germany.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Lilywhites have now cooled their interest in the Leverkusen defender, having been told that he will cost £50m, which is deemed to be a "prohibitive" amount.

As such, the centre-back is unlikely to be on the move before the transfer window slams shut, meaning Tottenham and Newcastle United, who have been widely linked with a move, are now set to miss out on his signature.

Leverkusen are in a strong position to demand a big fee for their star defender, having already raised money by selling Sardar Azmoun and Moussa Diaby this summer, indicating they will hold out for £50m.

Although Spurs are set to miss out on the 24-year-old, they are still ready to swoop for another centre-back, and Adarabioyo has been one of their long-term targets.

Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Although he is comfortable in possession of the ball, ranking in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, and the 93rd percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, the Leverkusen star is yet to prove he would be worth a £50m outlay.

Former Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has lauded the 6 foot 4 centre-back as "dangerous in front of goal", while also claiming he has "really big potential", but he has not been a consistent performer at the highest level.

The former Guimaraes man does not particularly excel on any defensive metric, placing in the 39th percentile for aerials won, despite his height, and the 38th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers.

Tapsoba is still only 24 years of age, so he could easily develop into a top defender, having been a regular for Leverkusen over the past few seasons, making 33 Bundesliga appearances last term.

However, it may not be overly disappointing that Tottenham are set to miss out on the 36-time Burkina Faso international, particularly considering they have a whole host of other targets, including the likes oof Schuurs, Lenglet and Adarabioyo.

Mauricio Pochettino insisted he was "more relaxed than ever" after Chelsea's convincing win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round on Wednesday.

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• Pochettino had come under fire for recent results
• But Chelsea responded in style against Villa
• Blues boss says he is "more relaxed than ever"

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Argentinian had seen pressure ramp up on him in recent weeks following two dismal performances against Liverpool and Wolves in the space of a week. But his Blues side responded convincingly on Wednesday night with a dominant display against Aston Villa that sealed their passage to the FA Cup fifth round. Pochettino says that he is not listening to the noise off the field, and again stressed the need for patience in an incredibly young squad.

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• WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

  Speaking to after the 3-1 win, the Chelsea boss said: "Other things worry me in life, but not football. Today I was more relaxed than ever because I knew the team would perform. You know when the players are with you and care for you. I could fee it after [the loss to] Wolves. We are talking about the youngest team in the Premier League, but with expectations so high. It's normal sometimes the players feel the pressure to be in the top four and challenge for big things. It's not easy to manage these things. Our belief is 200% but maybe around our environment there are some noises, but that's just football."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The "noise" Pochettino refers to erupted from all corners of the Chelsea fanbase after Sunday's dire 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves. The Stamford Bridge faithful didn't hesitate to show their disapproval, not only booing but also chanting the names of former manager Jose Mourinho and ex-owner Roman Abramovich. Blues supporters typically took to social media to voice their displeasure but were joined by none other than Thiago Silva's wife Belle. Pochettino has since played down that feud.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Enzo Fernandez's wonderstrike in the second half means his last three goals for Chelsea have come in cup competitions (against Preston in the FA Cup third round and versus Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg).

Liverpool will host Aston Villa at the start of September in the two teams' last Premier League fixture before the international break. It's always an interesting fixture and there's perhaps more at stake than ever this season.

After all, Liverpool will hope to rebound after last season and build some early momentum. A repeat of last season can't happen if they're to recapture a top-four place.

But Villa will have eyes on those spots themselves. They're back in European football after a stunning second half of the season under Unai Emery. A win over Liverpool would be a huge statement to start the season and get the team looking up the table going into the international break.

To beat Liverpool, they'll need goals, though. Ollie Watkins could be their best chance of finding them – so we at Football FanCast thought we'd look into his record against the Reds. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Ollie Watkins' goals record against Liverpool?

Watkins has come up against Liverpool six times in his career and his record against them looks pretty great. He's scored five times in that span – the most he's managed against anyone in his career.

Though, it's worth mentioning that three of those goals came in his first appearance against Liverpool. That was a crazy game, finishing 7-2 to Villa as they took advantage of some bizarre defending from the Reds. Watkins took advantage as much as anyone.

His record since is two goals in five games, which isn't quite as impressive. Still, he did manage one against them at home last season – Watkins hasn't forgotten how to find the Liverpool net.

What is Ollie Watkins' assists record against Liverpool?

Watkins only has the one assist against Liverpool, again coming in that 7-2 win. And virtually everyone got an assist in that one.

But then, it's not his game. There aren't too many teams against which he's managed more than a solitary assist, and only two – Luton and Colchester – where Watkins has three.

Don't expect him to supply the goals at Anfield, then – Villa will hope he's on the end of chances, rather than creating them.

What is Ollie Watkins' head-to-head record against Liverpool?

It's not a pretty one. In six games, Watkins has only won once against Liverpool – the 7-2 in his first appearance vs them. There's only one draw in his history, too, and that was in the most recent outing in May of this year.

But we're not sure how much you can really read into this. For one, Villa look like a much better side right now than they have in any of Watkins' previous seasons with the club. We fully expect them to give the Reds a proper match this time around, as they did back in May.

All of Watkins' games against the Reds have come in the Premier League, too. He didn't feature in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat against the Reds back in 2021.

What is Ollie Watkins' record at Anfield?

Watkins does only have three games in his career at Anfield, so there's not too much to go on here. All have come in the Premier League and usually end in defeat – two losses, one draw is his record.

As for goals, Watkins does have one. He scored at Anfield in a 2-1 defeat back in 2021 but has been unable to find the net there since that first appearance.

Who has Ollie Watkins scored against the most?

Two teams have conceded five to Watkins – the most he's managed against a single club. Liverpool are one, of course, with the other being Swansea City. His record against the Reds is slightly better, though, as he managed that total in one fewer game.

There are then three different clubs against whom Watkins has four total goals. Arsenal, Bristol City and Derby County are the unlucky trio – you can usually count on the striker to find the net against them.

How many goals does Ollie Watkins have in September?

Watkins has found the net 11 times in the month of September since the start of his career. However, it doesn't make good reading for those expecting him to net at Anfield.

None of those goals have come in the Premier League, while nine of them weren't even with Aston Villa. Watkins has nine Championship strikes in September and then two for his current club both in the EFL Cup.

He'll be hoping to break his duck against Liverpool.

What is Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa goal record?

Watkins has played 118 times across all competitions for Villa since arriving in 2020. His record in that span is pretty good, too, with 43 goals and 14 assists so far.

It means Watkins is closing in on his record haul for a club. That stands at 49 for Brentford, where he also managed his most assists – 17. There's every chance that he will overtake both figures by the end of this season.

What is Ollie Watkins' Premier League goal record?

Watkins is now 111 games into his Premier League career, with all of them coming at Aston Villa. In that time, the striker has managed 40 goals – a solid haul for three seasons of work.

Last season was his best yet, too. Watkins scored 15 times in 37 games, beating his first Premier League campaign by one goal in the same number of appearances. His middle season saw him get 11 goals,

There have been 14 assists so far, we should add. In total, Watkins has provided 53 goal contributions in 109 games – so just under one every other game.

What is Aston Villa's record against Liverpool?

Villa vs Liverpool is a fixture that dates all the way back to 1895, so there's a lot of history here. In total, the two teams have met on 201 occasions.

As you might expect, given their dominance over the last few decades, Liverpool's record is far superior in this one. They've won 101 of the 201 meetings, with Villa managing just 59. That leaves 41 draws for those keeping track.

But what about just in the Premier League era? There have been 56 meetings since the rebrand with Liverpool again winning over half. In fact, their record is even better when just counting the last 32 years – 32 wins to Villa's 13.

What is Aston Villa's record at Anfield?

As you may have guessed from the last section, it's not particularly good. This will actually be the 100th time Villa play at Anfield but they'll be hoping for what would be just their 18th win.

So in 99 Anfield fixtures, it's 17 wins, 20 draws and 62 defeats to the Reds. Not exactly a game that's brought a lot of luck their way, then, and a win this time around would be something of a surprise.

What are Aston Villa's recent results against Liverpool?

Not good. In fact, Villa have lost five of their last six against Liverpool, dating back to their last win in the fixture – the 7-2. The only time they avoided defeat came in the most recent game, too, back in May.

That was a 1-1 draw at Anfield and to be fair to Villa, it's by far the most relevant result here. Not only was it away, but it was also their only meeting with Unai Emery as boss. They shot up the league once the Spaniard took over, becoming so much better that comparing results before him seems unfair to this side.

And the previous results were particularly bad, too.

Since Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool, Villa have played 12 games against his team. They've won two of them – the 7-2 and the 5-0 win in the EFL Cup against the Reds' Under 21 side. In other words, this is a fixture they almost always struggle in.

But hey, at least the wins tend to be emphatic.

When is Liverpool vs Aston Villa?

Liverpool host Aston Villa on Sunday, September 3rd at 14:00 UK time. It'll be a huge match for both teams as we get an early idea of what they're about this season.

Liverpool want to bounce back after an incredibly disappointing campaign last time out. Their struggles saw them out of the title race incredibly early on, while they barely managed a top-four challenge in the end. A new midfield could be exactly what they needed, though – it's certainly their gameplan this season.

Villa were only one place behind Liverpool in the Premier League table, of course. A sensational run under Unai Emery saw them climb all the way up from the bottom into the Europa League spot – and they'll have plans to do even better this time around. The right transfers – and some momentum carried on from last season – could see Villa threaten to go one better.

A win in this fixture, then, would be a sign for either that they mean business from the off this time around.

Sam Northeast, who was given permission to speak to other counties last month by Kent, has joined Hampshire on a long-term contract. At least eight clubs were keen to sign him – a greater number, it is believed, than have sought any English cricketer in the past. Northeast almost moved to the Ageas Bowl three years ago and, having been replaced as Kent captain after signalling he would not sign a new contract, now believes he has to play in the first division in order to be in contention for selection by England.At the age of 28, Northeast is approaching his peak years. A batsman in England, according to another former Kent captain, Colin Cowdrey, does not reach his prime until he is 30. So Hampshire are acquiring a proven run-scorer, one who will not be absent through Test cricket or the IPL for the time being and an individual whose family are close friends with Liam Dawson, the Hampshire allrounder, and his family. Northeast is likely to bat at No. 4, coming in after James Vince, England’s most-recent Test No. 3.Geographically, Northeast is better suited to joining Hampshire than Lancashire or Nottinghamshire, although Southampton is too far to commute from the home he bought recently in Canterbury. Essex, the county champions, were keen to sign him as well, but he was unsure where he would fit into their batting order. Joining Sussex, the closest club, and Jason Gillespie – who believed Northeast should have gone to Australia with the full Test party – would have meant remaining in the second division.So for Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, this is a fillip after the disappointment of not being granted an Ashes Test in 2023. His plans to continue developing the club and the Ageas Bowl will continue apace, also, with a proposed second hotel, possibly a boutique one, owing to the high demand on space at the Hilton. Hampshire will have to pay compensation to buy Northeast out of the remaining year of his contract, but it will not be the equivalent of his salary. An official announcement is expected next week.Kent maintain that they offered Northeast one of the best contracts in their history to stay with them beyond this season. Although the captaincy is an annual appointment, they were not prepared to allow him to remain as captain for this year unless he signed an extension. “We wanted to plan for the future and spoke to Sam for several months, but he did not want to stay,” said a spokesman.Northeast, who grew up on the Kent coast at Deal and first played for Kent when still at school, was told last year by Matt Walker, the head coach, that he was not their preferred choice of captain. Their relationship broke down irretrievably – to the extent that Northeast stayed away from the St Lawrence ground and practised instead at Beckenham. He has also been frustrated by the club’s shortage of finance – largely caused by poor management in the past – and, despite a number of talented young players on the staff, not gaining promotion.He sought a meeting last month with Simon Philip, the new chairman, but discovered that only Jamie Clifford, the chief executive who was on the cusp of leaving to join MCC, and Graham Johnson, the chairman of the cricket committee who is not standing for re-election to the main committee at the annual meeting this spring, would be present. In that Kent have to start the new season without Sam Billings, their new captain, who will be tied up with the IPL, quite apart from not having Northeast’s runs to play with, this change appears to make little sense. Billings will miss the first five or six Championship matches of the summer.In terms of the breakdown of communication and lack of information to the club’s supporters and members, this sorry episode is uncannily reminiscent of the departure of Mike Denness, the most successful captain in Kent’s history, and who had captained England, in 1976. What Kent would give now for the two trophies he won that season.

Chelsea have had a summer to remember when it comes to signing players and it looks like fans could be treated to yet more spending, following a key update from journalist Simon Johnson.

Do Chelsea need more signings?

The Blues have made a disappointing start to life under Mauricio Pochettino, with their Premier League campaign flattering to deceive in the opening two matches.

While the 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend was an adequate result, Sunday's 3-1 defeat away to West Ham was a shock to the system. Chelsea may have dominated chunks of proceedings, but they didn't create enough opportunities and their finishing wasn't good enough when chances did arrive.

The west Londoners may have spent big this summer, most notably signing the likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Nicolas Jackson, but they still look short of elite quality currently, especially in attacking areas.

There is now less than two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining and failure to bring in one more wide option in the final third could ultimately prove costly.

Will Chelsea sign another attacker?

According to The Athletic's Johnson, Chelsea are still eyeing up another attacking signing this summer, although a new No.9 is out of the question, despite Christopher Nkunku's long-term injury after arriving from Borussia Dortmund:

"With the transfer window closing on September 1, there is still time for the chequebook to be used again. Chelsea have been looking at signing another attacking player anyway, but not a tried and tested No 9 as such.

"A move for Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise broke down last week, while Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson was put on the wish list last month."

While rival fans may balk at Chelsea's need to bring in another attacker, given the money they have already spent since the end of last season, there is no question that they look short of reliable options in that area of the pitch.

Raheem Sterling was superb in a losing cause against West Ham, arguably producing his best performance yet in a Blues shirt, but he has been a disappointing signing so far, and his very best days could possibly be behind him.

Meanwhile, Mykhailo Mudryk continues to experience a torrid time of things, failing to score in 19 Chelsea appearances and missing a glorious opportunity late in the day at West Ham, while Noni Madueke also hasn't had the desired impact.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

A move for Michael Olise has fallen through after he signed a new deal with Crystal Palace, so signing him is out of the question, but someone of a similar ilk could be ideal, in terms of a young wide talent who can combine pace, trickery and a steady flow of end product.

It looks as though Rennes winger Jeremy Doku is a possible option to come in and ease the Blues' woes, and the Belgium international could be a brilliant addition, having scored 12 goals and chipped in with a further ten assists for the Ligue 1 side to date.

Some of West Indies’ best-known players are claiming they were “denied the opportunity…. to help Caribbean people” by being omitted from the teams involved in the Hurricane Relief game at Lord’s

Colin Benjamin24-Apr-2018Some of West Indies’ best-known players are claiming they were “denied the opportunity… to help Caribbean people” by being omitted from the teams involved in the Hurricane Relief game at Lord’s.The charity T20 match between West Indies and a World XI is being staged on May 31 to raise funds to repair five major cricket venues damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. West Indies named a 13-man squad last week and it did feature some big names – Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels – but Dwayne Bravo insisted he, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo had all hoped to be involved as well. None of them were picked.”We were denied the opportunity to be a part of something to help Caribbean people in a charity game we wanted to play in and were looking forward to being a part of”, Bravo told ESPNcricinfo. “We weren’t contacted or selected, so we just want people to know that we were fully available for the game and are seeking answers behind our non-selection.”This led former West Indies captain Darren Sammy to suggest Cricket West Indies has missed an opportunity to build bridges between itself and the players.”What better chance could the board want to engage players?” Sammy said. “They could have swallowed their ego and pride and brought the World-Cup-winning side together, even if it’s one last time.”I have personally done fund raisers, sent food and water supplies to Dominica, played and helped organise previous charity game in Trinidad. I was looking forward to this game.”During last October’s Hurricane relief charity game between Trinidad & Tobago and a West Indies XI, all the senior players were picked despite the Trinidad players having a similarly poor relationship with the local TTCB board.Bravo has also requested bank details from the board so he can make a financial contribution. “They’ve given the public the false impressions we don’t want to play in the World Cup qualifiers because we went to play for money, but now we’re available for free for a good cause and they don’t pick us,” he said. “Caribbean people need to know the truth. What we will do also is to ask CWI to provide bank account details, so we the players who are not part of the game. can still make a contribution towards it.”The players are understood to have enquired whether they could represent the World XI side, but were told it was not possible.”It’s a Rest of the World XI not a World XI,” CWI chief executive Johnny Grave told ESPNcricinfo. “And it’s a fully accredited T20I so counts for stats, hence why Caribbean players can’t play for opposition team. It needs to be a proper game of cricket for people to buy tickets to go and see it at Lord’s.”However, Grave said he would like to meet the players to discuss their international futures.”They weren’t invited to take part,” he told . “Darren Bravo has refused selection on a number of occasions now so we can’t continually go back to him every time we have a match and ask if he wants to be part of it.”Dwayne hasn’t played for quite a while in any of our sides… and said he does not see his future playing international cricket. So we’ve asked him for a meeting to see if that is his firm position.”The problem we have at the moment is that there is a huge amount of uncertainty where some players say they are not available and then suddenly they are available.”We can’t have a situation where players pick and choose when they want to play international cricket. In any team you need to have a group of players that are committed to playing and winning cricket matches and then build that cohesion to keep same group of players together for as long as possible.”So we will hopefully be meeting with Dwayne, Kieron, Sunil and Darren in June after the IPL to explain to them what the fixtures are between now and the World Cup in England and World T20 in Australia, who we are playing, when we are playing and if they want to be part of it or not.”What we can do is give them clarity in what it looks like to play for us, We know our tours all the way up to 2023. We’ve got an IPL window and a CPL window. Whether that is enough for them or whether they want to become T20 specialists and travel the world to play franchise cricket, that is kind of what we want to find out from them.”

South Africa’s head coach Ottis Gibson was steadfast in his defence of Quinton de Kock ahead of an ICC code of conduct hearing on Wednesday

Firdose Moonda07-Mar-2018South Africa insist Quinton de Kock only acted on provocation in the Durban stairwell dispute, even though he has been found guilty of breaching the ICC’s code of conduct.De Kock did not contest the charge at a hearing on Wednesday evening, though he aimed to lessen the sanction that applies to a Level 1 offence. Although he was unsuccessful in the endeavour and admitted he had said “something” to Warner, the South Africa wicketkeeper maintained he was not the instigator.CCTV footage of the passageway leading to the dressing rooms showed David Warner being physically restrained and shouting at de Kock, who did not respond. Warner was charged with a Level 2 offence on Tuesday evening, and fined 75% of his match fee. Though he has accepted those sanctions, Australia claim Warner was responding to a jibe from de Kock, and they say it was “personal.”South Africa, however, have denied de Kock provoked Warner in any way. “We are appealing Level 1 because we think Quinny didn’t do anything,” the head coach Ottis Gibson said. “Quinny wasn’t aggressive. You saw some footage, and the footage showed Quinny walking up the stairs and somebody else being restrained, and then Quinny gets a Level 1. That doesn’t seem fair.”Gibson would not comment on whether de Kock was entirely silent, and neither would several team sources, only for the man himself to admitt he had answered back.”Quinny would not have said anything had something not been said to him in the first place. But I wasn’t out there. Faf was there. Faf probably knows what was said,” Gibson said. “But there’s one guy walking up the stairs going back to his dressing room, there’s another guy having to be restrained. If I am walking, trying to get back to my dressing room and somebody is being restrained, how can you fine me for something?”Asked if de Kock said anything about Warner’s wife, which is what Australia are alleging, Gibson chose to focus on the undefined line and called for clarity. “I wasn’t there. I can’t categorically speak for another person. There’s this thing and I have seen it recently now about the line. They are saying they didn’t cross the line, but where is the line, who sets the line, where did the line come from? When you are saying you didn’t cross the line but we didn’t cross the line, you went very close to the line… whose line is it?”South Africa would really like the umpires to start answering that question. Du Plessis called for them to step in immediately after the end of the first Test. But Kumar Dharmasena and S Ravi have made no reports of anyone breaking the code of conduct and Australia subsequently used that as part of their defence. Gibson, however, believed that the umpires must have heard something.”The match officials are there to do a job and to govern the game on the field, and off the field I guess,” he said. “If they hear things on the field, they should clamp down on it. It becomes unfortunate when everybody else hears stuff and the match officials say they haven’t heard anything. They are there to do a job and they must do their job.”If things are happening in the game and things are being said, and if it’s within earshot – if the player is standing at point or wherever he is fielding, surely the umpires can hear. Maybe the umpires need to stand up and take control of the game.”Unhappy might not be the right word. We just feel that the umpires are there to do a job and they must do their job. When they hear things, they must take charge and don’t leave it to: ‘oh, we didn’t cross the line.’ Can you say whatever you want, and then when something is said, it’s offensive. You didn’t tell us where the line was. Let’s be clear where the line was.”With tension escalating on both sides, the umpires’ roles will be in sharp focus once again in Port Elizabeth. Dharmasena will be the on-field official again on Friday and he will be joined by New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney.”I am happy with aggression being shown on the field if it’s coming from the bowler,” Gibson said. “If a fast bowler is bowling bouncers and trying to intimidate batsmen, to me that’s aggression. When everybody else is chirping or sledging the batter as he is trying to bat, that’s not aggression in my book. That’s how I grew up, playing the game in the Caribbean. But, obviously, things change.”Gibson recalled the West Indies greats of the past, who “didn’t have to (say anything) because they were aggressive with the ball and their body language, and that’s what aggression is. When a batsman is trying to take his guard and people are standing around and saying whatever they want to say, I’m not sure that it’s necessary.”If a bowler has tried everything he can to get a batsman out and he can’t get him out because a batsman is playing well, and then they have to revert to that, then is it aggression? I don’t think that it is.”That was the case at Kingsmead, where de Kock scored 83 and partnered Aiden Markram for a sixth-wicket stand of 147 which stalled Australia’s victory push and dragged the match into the fifth day. De Kock had not struck a half-century in 15 Test innings before that, and there were questions over his form. But Gibson believed the Durban knock showed what de Kock is capable of, both with bat and in his conduct.”It takes a strong character to stand up and bat for three hours when everybody on the field is saying whatever they want to say to you. But then, as soon as you respond, then it’s a different thing. The game should be about cricket on the field. I feel like everybody needs to focus on cricket. Calm down and get back to cricket.”

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have enjoyed considerable success at Wrexham, but the Hollywood stars have been told they “could have done better”.

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Hollywood superstars arrived in 2021Immediate impact made on & off the fieldRed Dragons continuing to move forwardGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A stunning takeover at SToK Racecourse was completed back in the spring of 2021. Quite the journey has been enjoyed from there. Wrexham have taken in a trip to Wembley, returned to the Football League in record-breaking style and pieced together an immediate push for promotion out of League Two.

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Reynolds and McElhenney have helped to make all of that possible, but Red Dragons director Shaun Harvey has said when casting an eye over three eventful years: “Yes, we could have done better. We could have got promotion that first season. But I think the majority of people are happy with where we are at the moment and if you can keep the majority happy then that's probably not a bad result. Off the field, we continue to drive a path forward. It's not pretty around the edges at times. The objective of the club was to get as far forward as quickly as possible and in doing that, there are always going to be things that are missed or could have been done better. We continue to find our way through the more challenging periods and it is always with the eye on making sure that we give the team the best chance of being successful.”

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Stars on the field – such as Paul Mullin and Elliot Lee – have helped to steer things forwrd, while off it head coach Phil Parkinson has embraced life under the brightest of spotlights. Harvey added: “You can only watch on in admiration of the playing squad and Phil, and what they have succeeded in doing. It is alright in theory but it doesn't work unless the players deliver in practice and they deserve massive kudos for what they have achieved so far. But knowing them, they know they've achieved nothing yet. It's a little bit like being ahead at half-time, it counts for nothing if you don't win the game. The playing squad know they've given themselves a great opportunity but equally, they know they have got to finish the job as well for the work they have done so far to deliver the fruits that it deserves.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham, who continue to star in what is now an Emmy Award-winning documentary series, sit second in the League Two table as things stand – five points adrift of leaders Stockport with a game in hand. They will be back in action on Saturday away at Salford, with another transfer window set to have swung shut by then.

Liverpool have now been given a promising update as Bayern Munich may sell midfielder Ryan Gravenberch "in the final few days of the window" accordung to reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's happening with Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch is at the centre of a transfer battle this summer, with Liverpool and Manchester United both keen on signing him, having already tabled contract offers, and there is a belief that Bayern could let him leave for a fee of around £22m.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood believes the Reds will win the race for the midfielder's signature, recently saying: "I am sure Ryan Gravenberch will go in there, the midfield player from Bayern. Hasn’t played since he has been there."

After missing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both joined Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp will be determined not to lose out to another Premier League rival in the race for a midfielder this summer, particularly considering the Bayern ace is high on his list of targets.

However, it appears as though both clubs are currently well-placed to sign the central midfielder, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg claiming they will be the favourites, should his current employers give the green light for him to leave.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has now spoken about the Reds' ongoing pursuit of a new midfielder, telling CaughtOffside:

“Liverpool do still want another midfielder, but not necessarily a No.6 unless the right opportunity presents itself. That’s partly because Stefan Bajcetic is back in the squad.

“Liverpool have also been linked with Kalvin Phillips. I have been told all summer Phillips wants to stay at Manchester City and fight for his place. Nonetheless, this one could still be one to keep an eye on, because Liverpool did look at Phillips when he was still at Leeds.”

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How old is Ryan Gravenberch?

The Bayern midfielder is just 21-years-old, but he has already started to make a real impression in European football, having made 103 appearances for Ajax, while he has also appeared in 20 Champions League matches.

Over the past couple of years, the Dutchman has also made his breakthrough at international level, amassing 11 caps for the Netherlands, but his career has stalled since arriving at the Allianz Arena, having received very sparse game time for Bayern.

If the "outstanding" central midfielder is to fulfill his lofty potential, after being lauded as a future star by former Liverpool man Dirk Kuyt 18 months ago, then a move to Anfield, where he should feature more regularly, could be the perfect option.

Having received confirmation that Gravenberch is open to the move, Liverpool now need to make sure they beat Man United to his signature, as they cannot afford a repeat of the Caicedo and Lavia situations at this stage in the window.