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Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be eyeing a summer swoop for Fulham defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly keen to strengthen his centre-back ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Adarabioyo to Tottenham?

As per journalist Lyall Thomas, writing on Twitter: "Exclusive: Tosin Adarabioyo is among the centre-back options being considered by #Tottenham this summer. One year left on his deal at #Fulhamfc + he is open to an exit #thfc #ffc."

In his subsequent piece for Sky Sports, Thomas reveals that negotiations regarding a move for the imposing giant are at an 'early stage', with the Lilywhites contemplating whether to formalise their interest in the 25-year-old.

The report suggests that the former England youth international is seeking a new challenge with just a year left to run on his existing deal, having spent the last three years at Craven Cottage.

Should Tottenham sign Adarabioyo?

With Clement Lenglet having made his return to Barcelona – and with the likes of Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez facing uncertain futures at N17 – it does appear that Postecoglou is in need of extra bodies to help bolster the backline this summer, with Adarabioyo potentially set to prove a wise, albeit surprise investment for the club.

The "very solid" ace – as previously hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has been tipped for big things stretching back to his early days at Manchester City, having been hailed by former boss Pep Guardiola back in 2016:

"He has all the quality. He is fast. He is faster than the people can believe it and he's strong in the air. He has the quality to look behind the line for the next step, the next pass."

Having been just a teenager at the time of that praise from the serial-winning Spaniard, the £40k-per-week titan has since blossomed into a fine asset at top-flight level, having helped to keep ten clean sheets in 25 Premier League games last season as part of a Fulham side that finished tenth.

The 6 foot 5 gem's stellar performances in that standout campaign are also bolstered by the fact that he is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Manchester United star, Raphael Varane, according to FBref.

That likeness to the "world-class" Frenchman – as lauded by pundit Paul Robinson – is notably showcased by the duo's quality on the ball, with Varane having racked up 17 progressive carries and 63 progressive passes last season from his 24 league outings, while the Cottagers' ace recorded 16 and 95 for those same two metrics, respectively.

In a defensive sense, the pair are also alike due to their dominance in the air, with the United man having won a standout 72% of his aerial duels in 2022/23, while Adarabioyo averaged only slightly lower at 69% in that regard.

To be likened to a figure who has a World Cup and five Champions Leagues under his belt is a clear sign of the latter man's quality, with Postecoglou and co no doubt set to jump at the chance to sign a Varane-esque talent in their bid to strengthen the backline.

Tamim Iqbal praised Mahmudullah’s nerve for bowling a tight final over of a chase, but said that it was for Chittagong’s to lose, and they did

Mohammad Isam12-Nov-2016Mahmudullah was celebrating his side’s four-run win over Chittagong Vikings, but the tension that was palpable when he was asked to defend six off the final over didn’t wear off even after the post-match presentation. The Khulna Titans captain said that his primary target was to keep Mohammad Nabi off strike but ended up taking his wicket off the last ball.This was the second time Mahmudullah sealed a tense win off the last over. In their first game against Rajshahi Kings, Mahmudullah took three wickets. Here too, he had three scalps and conceded just one run to take his side to No. 2 in the points table.”I don’t know, it just happened,” Mahmudullah said when asked about he managed to defend six runs all over again. “My hands are still sweating. I just tried to keep [Mohammad] Nabi off strike, but the Chaturanga [de Silva] wicket was also important. I got a lot of confidence after giving away a single off the first ball and then getting that wicket with the next ball.”I don’t want to bowl in the death overs but had to do so because my main bowlers had their spells finished. I have been successful on two occasions now, but it can be different in the next game. But I am ready to take the chance again.”But the emotion was contrasting in the Chittagong camp where captain Tamim Iqbal was livid. He didn’t single out anyone but he questioned the batsmen’s mindset after they wilted in the final over.”We will keep losing if we play this sort of cricket,” he said. “Maybe the batsmen doesn’t have problem with skill but there’s definitely something wrong in his head if he doesn’t understand something after sending 20 messages. We don’t deserve to play here if we have to do spoon feeding at this level. I don’t want to say the name, but I am talking about the batsmen.”He praised Mahmudullah’s nerve for bowling a tight final over of a chase, but said that it was for Chittagong’s to lose, and they did. “The match Riyad bhai won them, can only happen once every ten games. But he must be doing something right, now that he has done it twice,” he said. “Credit goes to him because he bowled well but I think we are more to blame for losing this game. We had two set batsmen in the middle with just six runs to win.”

Batsman Shai Hope and allrounder Rovman Powell have been picked in West Indies’ squad for next month’s tri-series in Zimbabwe, after the selectors decided to drop Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2016

Batsman Shai Hope and allrounder Rovman Powell have been picked in West Indies’ squad for next month’s tri-series in Zimbabwe, after the selectors decided to drop Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin. Pollard and Ramdin’s exclusions are the only changes to the squad that suffered a 3-0 defeat in the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this month.WI ODI squad for Zimbabwe

Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder (capt), Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels
In Shai Hope, Rovman Powell
Out Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin

Both Pollard and Ramdin had poor returns in the limited-overs series in the UAE. Pollard managed 43 runs in the three T20s, and bowled two overs, going wicketless. In the three-match ODI series, Pollard scored 42 runs at an average of 14.00. He took one wicket in the 12 overs he bowled across the three matches. Ramdin, who was recalled to the ODI squad, compiled 79 runs at 26.33 in the three ODIs and did not feature in the T20s.Hope, who is a part of the Test side in the UAE, is uncapped in limited-overs internationals, but has played six Tests since May 2015 scoring 171 runs at an average of 15.54. He scored 76 in the three-day tour match against the PCB Patron’s XI, played under lights with the pink ball.Powell, uncapped in international cricket, had been named in the T20 squad for the UAE tour following a promising performance in CPL 2016. His only match on the tour was the practice T20 game against the Emirates Cricket Board XI where he scored 38 and bowled two overs for 14 runs.The Zimbabwe series will begin on November 14 with a match between the hosts and Sri Lanka. West Indies’ first match in the series will be against Sri Lanka on November 16. The final will be played on November 27.

Manchester United are keen to try and add Adrien Rabiot to their ranks according to L'Equipe, via Sport Witness, with the player set to be available for nothing this summer.

What is the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Man United?

The midfielder has been in scintillating form this season for Juventus, with the player producing eight goals and three assists in 28 Serie A starts for the side. It marks his best ever return in terms of his amount of goal contributions and even tops his time spent in France with PSG.

Despite this, the 28-year-old is yet to extend his stay in Italy with his current club. His current contract with Juve expires on June 30 and if he doesn't agree fresh terms before then, it means that the midfielder will become a free agent and can sign for another team for no fee.

Now, according to major French newspaper L'Equipe, via Sport Witness, that has brought Rabiot to the attention of Erik Ten Hag and Man United. It's clear that the Dutch boss wants to try and bring in some reinforcements in the centre of the field this summer and it appears as though Rabiot fits the bill for the manager.

The Premier League outfit are believed to be eager to get a deal done – so much so that their manager has already personally spoken to the player over a possible switch to Old Trafford. They now want to try and get a deal over the line as quickly as they can for the Frenchman.

Should Man United sign Adrien Rabiot?

The Red Devils do need some more guile and creativity in their midfield, especially with Marcel Sabitzer set to return to Bayern Munich at the end of his loan deal as things stand.

It opens up a gap for Rabiot in the centre and he could offer plenty to the Old Trafford outfit if he did join the club. For starters, he has received high praise from former striker David Trezeguet, who was an icon for both France and Juve. He called the midfielder "world-class" and added that Rabiot is "an extraordinary player" to Football Italia (via JuveFC).

Those statements from the former player are backed up by his showings this season. Rabiot has a WhoScored rating of 7.15 in Serie A this campaign, which shows he has consistently performed at the top of his game. That rating gets even better when he has had to try and drag Juve through European competition in the Europa League (7.16). He manages 0.9 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game too, showing how despite being largely a destructive midfielder, he is able to split open defences with his passing and also carve them open by driving the ball forward himself too.

Rabiot then would be a real talent for United to snap up, especially on a free. He instantly upgrades their midfield and adds goals, which is something they have been lacking this season.

Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy by extension hold the most serious interest in signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news?

Spurs have a plethora of issues to resolve before the summer transfer window opens for business, namely who they will be their permanent manager and Antonio Conte’s full time replacement.

Ryan Mason has been placed in temporary charge until the end of this Premier League campaign with Europa League qualification still very realistic.

In the meantime, Levy has been scouring the market for appointments, as well as looking out for a new sporting director to replace the departed Fabio Paratici.

On top of all this, Spurs must think about a long-term successor to goalkeeping mainstay Hugo Lloris, who is entering the final 12 months of his contract alongside star striker Harry Kane.

Tottenham have been repeatedly linked to signing Lloris’ replacement this summer, with Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret thought to be attracting serious interest.

As well as Meret, it is believed the likes of Mike Maignan (AC Milan) are in Spurs’ thinking, with a report by journalist Gaston Edul saying another shot-stopper is on the agenda.

According to the TYC Sports correspondent, writing on Twitter, Villa’s Martinez is a very serious target for Spurs and Levy with the north Londoners having a move “in the pipeline”.

Martinez, who helped Argentina to World Cup victory at the end of last year, could be on the move and Tottenham are very likely to go a ‘step further’ for his signature over rival clubs.

Edul explained:

What could Martinez bring to Spurs?

The 30-year-old has been praised for his form at Villa Park over the last 12 months, with defender Matty Cash summing up his quality perfectly.

Cash, speaking to the media (via The Shropshire Star), said:

“He (Martinez) normally buzzes off clean sheets. The first thing he said to me in the dressing room was: ‘I’m gutted we conceded’. He’s unbelievable. One of the best goalkeepers in the world. To have him there is really good for us. He has made so many big saves for us.”

To replace a figure as important as Lloris, this could be exactly the type of character needed at Tottenham, both in terms of goalkeeping contribution and elite mentality.

Members of the media have also called him “world class” for his exploits at international level.

Manchester United are keeping tabs on Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a recent report from Foot Mercato.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United are planning a summer clear-out, with the Daily Mail reporting up to 13 players could leave the club, including Anthony Elanga and Anthony Martial, meaning Erik ten Hag may need to bring in some new attacking options.

In a central role, the Red Devils have their sights set on the likes of Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen and Rasmus Hojlund, while in wide areas, Dani Olmo could be brought in, and Ansu Fati is also being monitored.

Despite Jadon Sancho's struggles this season, United want to keep hold of the winger, with journalist Ben Jacobs recently claiming Ten Hag has set him a challenge to "get back to his best and live up to his price tag."

However, the 23-year-old could have to fight for his place in the starting XI next season, as Foot Mercato have reported Man United are keeping tabs on Neymar, ahead of a potential summer move.

PSG are planning to sell the £810k-per-week earner at the end of the season, in order to save on his astronomical wages, and the Red Devils could be interested in snapping him up, particularly if they are taken over by Qatari investors.

It may be difficult to tempt the Brazilian into a move to Old Trafford, however, as despite his current club's desires for him to leave, he envisages spending the rest of his career at the Parc des Princes.

Should Man United sign Neymar?

The 31-year-old is one of football's global superstars, having impressed at the very highest level for a number of years, and he has been in fantastic form this season, weighing in with 35 goal contributions in just 29 games.

Those numbers indicate the forward is still a top performer at the elite level, despite his age, as does the fact he ranks in the 99th percentile for six stats in the past year, including assists and shot-creating actions per 90.

However, the main issue about signing the "sensational" former Barcelona man is his huge wages, as bringing him in could limit Man United's ability to compete for other players, in positions they are more in need of strengthening.

Marcus Rashford has been fantastic on the left-wing this season, having scored 15 goals in 29 league games, so the Red Devils should instead focus on signing a new striker, with Wout Weghorst yet to get off the mark in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy will make a 'strong attempt' to convince Julian Nagelsmann who is 'open' to Spurs talks.

What's the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

The 35-year-old, after Spurs sacked former manager Antonio Conte, has been heavily linked with a move to north London as Levy continues his search for a new boss.

Following Tottenham's 6-1 humiliation against Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday, pressure is mounting on both Levy and the Spurs board to absolutely nail their next managerial appointment.

The humbling result leaves Spurs six points behind both the Magpies and Man United, with both sides possessing games in hand. The Lilywhites are now outside contenders for Champions League qualification as a result, making the search for Conte's replacement even more important.

Of the names who could succeed Conte, we have ex-RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann and former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique – who have been most regularly mentioned in the last fortnight.

Nagelsmann, who has already won a league title and comes with the reputation of being one of Europe's most exciting young coaches, is a very attractive option for Levy.

According to reliable journalist Miguel Delaney, writing for The Independent, the Spurs chairman is set to make a strong attempt to persuade Nagelsmann into joining – with the tacticain himself 'open' to an approach.

However, there will apparently be significant work to do if Levy is to successfully push Tottenham's case, and Nagelsmann will want certain assurances before taking the job. Indeed, he'd want to join in the summer and a 'decisive say' in transfer dealings.

While Levy is said to want him in before the end of the season, this appears unlikely as things stand.

Should Spurs go for Nagelsmann?

With former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino out of the frame, we believe there best option by far is a move for Nagelsmann, who has been revered by his managerial peers.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola tipped him to be a success long ago, saying this about the former Hoffenheim boss in 2018 during their Champions League group stage encounter:

"I’m really, really impressed [with Nagelsmann]. Taking over Hoffenheim in such a bad situation so young. He will have a lot of success in his career. He’s already at a good team in a top competition. It’s the first time we meet, but hopefully it won’t be the last.”

Also called a 'crazy' tactician by members of the media, Nagelsmann's appointment would bring both quality and a much-needed sense of optimism.

Journalist Lee Ryder has slammed Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar after he put in his "worst display of the season" in the club's recent outing.

What's the latest on Fabian Schar and Newcastle?

With the Magpies pushing for a spot in the top four, their Champions League ambitions took a big hit as they lost on Saturday afternoon.

Coming up against an in-form Aston Villa side, Eddie Howe and co were completely outplayed as they shipped three foals at Villa Park.

Jacob Ramsey opened the scoring after just 11 minutes before two second-half goals from Ollie Watkins gave the home team a much-deserved 3-0 win.

As the scoreline suggests, Newcastle were far from their best but it seems as though one man, in particular, stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Indeed, in his player ratings for ChronicleLive, Ryder handed Schar a 4/10 for his efforts and damningly summed up his afternoon.

He wrote: "Struggled throughout in his worst display of the season. Also booked in the first half for foul on Watkins."

How bad was Schar against Aston Villa?

As per those ratings, that made Schar the joint-worst player on the pitch and it seems as though many others noticed his struggled.

Indeed, after the first goal, journalist Andrew Musgrove wrote on Twitter: "Really poor first goal for #NUFC to concede. Lucky not to be another down. Trippier & Schar really struggling. Improvement needed."

While The Athletic's Gregg Evans added: "Watkins is ripping Schar. The #NUFC backline can't handle him.

The Newcastle CB already on a yellow card for sliding in late."

When you look at his stats on SofaScore too, it's safe to say things don't get much better. Indeed, his 6.3 rating was the joint-worst on the pitch. He was the only player to pick up a yellow card and the only centre-back on the field to be dribbled past (once).

He was sloppy in possession too, giving the ball away six times and completing just two out of five attempted long balls. While he also missed one big chance as he failed to help his side defensively or going forward.

All in all, it was a pretty dismal display for Newcastle on the whole as well as Schar individually. What's more, seeing as he's averaged a 7.16 rating per game on SofaScore in this league this term, it's safe to say this was a big drop-off in the usual standard of quality we see from the £40k-p/w defender.

Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke outlined his surprise that both Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason have remained in charge of Tottenham Hotspur after Antonio Conte was sacked.

What's the latest on Cristian Stellini and Spurs?

On Sunday night, Spurs officially announced that the club's now former head coach would be leaving by mutual agreement as they thanked him for his contribution.

In the statement, chairman Daniel Levy said: "We have 10 Premier League games remaining and we have a fight on our hands for a Champions League place. We all need to pull together. Everyone has to step up to ensure the highest possible finish for our Club and amazing, loyal supporters.”

On top of that, it was explained that Stellini and Mason would remain in charge of Tottenham for now with the 48-year-old Italian working as acting head, coach while the Englishman would be his assistant.

While speaking about this development on TalkSport, Pitt-Brooke explained why he was somewhat taken aback by the news that both men would remain with the club.

Indeed, he explained (1:16): “Well, it's very unusual, isn't it? Off the top of my head. I can't think of any other examples of a manager leaving and his two assistants stay in place.

"I mean, I think the presumption was that Ryan Mason would stay on which of course is what he did after Mourinho was sacked in 2021. But not many people expected Stellini to stay on as well.

“I think in part, it reflects the fact that they don't want a complete repeat of 2021 when Ryan Mason had the last few games. Equally. I think it's also just an acknowledgement of what a good job Stellini and Mason did.

"I mean, frankly, that was his best run in the season when Conte was recuperating from surgery at home in Italy. And Stellini and Mason helped them beat Manchester City and Chelsea. But you're right, it is very odd. It's not something that would normally happen."

How did Ryan Mason do as Spurs manager?

As Pitt-Brooke mentions, Mason was of course in charge as the club's interim for seven games back in 2021 after former coach Jose Mourinho was sacked.

Promisingly, for fans, he actually managed to win four of these games. However, he lost the other three and in that period even managed to squeeze in a Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

He has remained as a coach at Spurs ever since and so it's safe to assume he'll remain in that position when the club do hire a permanent replacement.

As for Stellini, though, it remains unclear if he will remain in north London when a new man comes in. After all, he was hired by Conte and so is very much connected to the Italian's tenure – which explains why there is some surprise that he too hasn't now departed.

Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has mooted Ruben Amorim as the next possible man to take charge of Tottenham Hotspur after Antonio Conte was fired.

What's the latest on Ruben Amorim and Spurs?

To absolutely no one's surprise, Spurs decided to part ways with their Italian head coach following the fall-out of his remarkable recent press conference.

Indeed, after the draw at Southampton, Conte seemed to take aim at his own players as well as the way the club has been run under Daniel Levy.

Indeed, he said: "I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart."

Before adding: "They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here? I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench."

Consequently, Tottenham are now on the hunt for a new manager – while Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason will remain in charge for now – and a number of big names will likely be linked in the near future.

While speaking about the possible options on TalkSport, Pitt-Brooke outlined a series of possible options before tipping Amorim as his personal favourite.

He explained (4:29): “It's going to be really interesting to see what sort of manager they're able to land. Will it be Luis Enrique, is someone who [Fabio] Paratici is a big fan. [Mauricio] Pochettino is obviously the fans' favourite choice.

"My personal preference would be for someone a bit fresher. Like Ruben Amorim. I think would be great. Roberto De Zerbi would be great. But frankly, we're all in the dark. Everyone is in the dark about what next season's gonna look like at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.””

Why would Spurs want Amorim as manager?

Seeing as he recently master-minded a Europa League quarter-final win over Spurs' bitter north London rivals Arsenal, it's not hard to see why some may already be excited to see the 38-year-old manager linked.

What's more, despite being pretty young, Amorim already has plenty of experience winning major trophies having the Portuguese league with Sporting Lisbon as well as multiple other domestic cups, including the league cup when still at Braga.

And so, he already ticks the box on that front and will certainly be interesting to see if Spurs make a move for the talented coach in the near future.