It is believed another West Ham player is now eyeing a deadline day exit after Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals, with one club even opening talks to sign him before the cut-off at 11pm.

Benrahma closing on Lyon move after Fornals agrees Betis terms

As we fast approach the end of this January transfer window, it appears we may now be making some headway regarding the future of wantaway winger Benrahma.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

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Earlier this week, we relayed news from Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth that West Ham agreed a deal with Lyon over the Algerian's exit, but supporters have been forced to wait a little while longer for the player to actually agree to it.

Now, it is believed Benrahma has reached an agreement on personal terms with Lyon as he makes his way to France for a medical. Barring any hiccups in the process, both West Ham and Lyon are now hopeful a full transfer can be completed before tonight's deadline.

Before Benrahma's pending move to Lyon, it was reported that midfielder Fornals has also agreed terms with Real Betis – who are currently managed by former West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini.

The issues stalling that particular move are between Betis and the Hammers, who are yet to agree on an actual fee for the Spaniard. However, Fornals does want to make the move to La Liga, as again reported by Sheth.

These potential outgoings could help to free up squad space and funds for West Ham to bring in a desired left-winger, which has been widely rumoured as a real item on the agenda for manager David Moyes.

It's therefore imperative that the club seal transfers away for unwanted fringe members of Moyes' squad, and news has come to light on another player who could depart the London Stadium today.

Maxwel Cornet wants to leave with West Ham in Palace talks

Indeed, as reported by Ed Aarons of The Guardian, West Ham winger Maxwel Cornet would like a move to Crystal Palace and "talks are continuing" over a deal.

The Ivorian recently got on West Ham's scoresheet in a 2-2 draw away to Sheffield United, but that is one of the rare cameos Cornet has made under Moyes since his arrival from Burnley in 2022.

Appearances

31

Goals

1

Assists

6

Yellow cards

1

Minutes played

914

Called a "handful" on his day by former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell (Football Insider), this hasn't done enough for Moyes to play him more often, and it is perhaps best if he seeks to revive his career elsewhere.

For some, title hopefuls Arsenal splashing out £105m in order to secure the signing of Declan Rice may have been seen as a potential overpayment, with the Englishman not exactly the man to make the difference in the final third – scoring just 15 goals in 245 games in all competitions for former club, West Ham United.

As it has panned out, however, the 25-year-old has since proven that those funds were certainly invested wisely, with pundit Jamie Carragher even going as far as to suggest that the eye-watering fee now looks like a 'bargain', such has been the midfielder's impact at the Emirates.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph last month, Carragher added to that claim by describing the former Hammers skipper as 'probably the most influential player in the Premier League this season' while also pointing out the likeness between Rice and a certain, Roy Keane, due to his undeniable 'presence' in the centre of the park.

While initial hopes that the midfield maestro could help lead the Gunners to the title have been rather tempered amid a difficult run of form over the festive period, if the north Londoners are to enjoy success this season, the £105m man will be crucial to it.

The only issue is, however, that Mikel Arteta has yet to find a convincing partner for Rice in the centre of the park, with the jury still out on whether Kai Havertz is the best fit in that left eight role, while Thomas Partey has proven rather unreliable once again this season due to injury.

As such, whether it is this month or over the summer, Arteta and Co may need to consider forking out to sign another midfield sensation, with one standout target having already emerged on the table from the Bundesliga.

Arsenal eyeing ex-Chelsea youth product

According to a report from TEAMtalk earlier this month, Arsenal are believed to be one of the clubs who are showing an interest in Bayern Munich sensation, Jamal Musiala, albeit with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all interested in securing his signature.

Much like Rice – who was let go by the Blues at the age of 14 – the German international was also once on the books in west London, yet could now be set to seal a return to the Premier League, amid that raft of elite suitors.

Hopes of signing the one-time England youth star have been bolstered by the fact that he is yet to sign a new deal with the Bundesliga champions, opening up the possibility that the 20-year-old could depart in the near future with his existing contract set to expire in 2026.

While the suggestion is that the Stuttgart-born starlet could still command a fee of around €100m (£87m), as Arsenal have found with the addition of Rice, such a signing could be worth every penny for the Gunners – not least due to his apparent likeness to Rice's Three Lions colleague, Jude Bellingham.

How Jamal Musiala compares to Jude Bellingham

The 6 foot playmaker – who previously played alongside Bellingham in England's youth ranks – has operated on the flanks at times during his stint in Bavaria, although like the current Real Madrid hero, he also has the flexibility to feature in a number ten berth, or in a deeper, creative midfield role.

That versatility is seemingly part of the reason that Musiala bares such a similarity to the Golden Boy winner, with FBref stating that the latter man is the fourth-most similar player to the Bayern gem among their fellow attacking midfielders in Europe's top five leagues, while also being the most similar among their fellow midfielders.

Such a likeness is particularly illustrated by the duo's innate ball-carrying ability, with Musiala ranking in the top 1% among European midfielders for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, while Bellingham ranks in the top 3% and the top 1% for those same two metrics, respectively.

Not only do the pair have that knack for being able to breeze their way up the pitch with a silky, jinking run, but they also have the quality to provide an end product at the top end of the pitch, with the two youngsters both ranking in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, while Musiala just edges it with regard to shot-creating actions (top 2% vs top 4%).

Of course, it is Bellingham who is truly flourishing this season in Madrid with 17 goals and seven assists in just 25 games, yet his German counterpart has still caught the eye, racking up ten goal involvements in just 19 games.

In fact, Musiala's record of 64 goals and assists in 144 games for his current side is not too far off what the former Dortmund man has achieved in his career to date – registering 79 goals and assists in 202 senior games – further proof of the potential diamond that Arsenal could have on their hands.

How Musiala would fit in at Arsenal

That addition could be a welcome one for Rice, in particular, with the £240k-per-week ace having thrived alongside Bellingham under Gareth Southgate at international level of late, hailing his young teammate as the "future of English football".

With Rice operating in a deep-lying role in front of the back four, it has allowed Bellingham the freedom to roam in a more advanced role to help link up with the forward line, with the one-time Birmingham City ace notably registering two assists against Italy on his most recent England appearance.

11 games (8 starts)

5 goals

2 assists

3 'big chances' created

1.4 key passes per game

2.0 tackles won per game

83% pass accuracy rate

2.9 successful dribbles per game

1.2 fouls won per game

7.43 avg. match rating

Stats via Sofascore

The hope will be that Arteta can fashion a similar partnership utilising Rice and Musiala alongside each other at the Emirates. The current Gunners star can offer the protective screen as he ranks in the top 8% for interceptions per 90, while once he regains possession he could then feed Musiala ahead of him, as he ranks in the top 9% for progressive passes per 90.

As previously indicated, the playmaking genius – who was previously described as the "Messi of the future" by compatriot Lothar Matthaus – has the creative quality to then wreak havoc in the final third, allowing him to combine with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka to devastating effect.

Ray Parlour: Arsenal could find their new Ian Wright by signing £100m star

Ray Parlour has claimed that the Gunners’ leading target shares a likeness with the legendary ‘Wrighty’

ByRobbie Walls Jan 19, 2024

While for some the thought of signing such a talent may seem like a pipedream, if a deal can be wrapped up in 2024, Arteta can put together a midfield duo that would likely be the envy of the rest of the Premier League.

The entire board of Zimbabwe Cricket has been suspended with immediate effect by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), a government parastatal and the governing organisation of all registered sporting associations in the country. ZC acting managing director Givemore Makoni has also been suspended from his position.David Ellman-Brown, Ahmed Ibrahim, Charlie Robertson, Cyprian Mandenge, Robertson Chinyengetere, Sekesai Nhokwara and Duncan Frost have been announced as an interim committee to run cricket in the country.While Ellman-Brown is a highly respected former board chief executive and Ibrahim a former board vice-chairman and ICC match referee, the others in the interim committee also have extensive experience in either sports administration or as professional cricketers or umpires themselves.The SRC’s move came a week after it issued a directive that ZC’s elective annual general meeting be suspended, alleging complaints about the nomination process and the violation of ZC’s constitution, as well as “various other controversies”.However, a resolution was unanimously passed and signed by all the delegates who attended the meeting to proceed as planned. The directive was ignored and Tavengwa Mukuhlani was re-elected for another four-year term as the ZC chairman.On Wednesday, Mukuhlani spoke to the press and insisted that the directive violated both ZC’s constitution and the SRC’s own rules, saying: “In its totality, the SRC directive is illegal and SRC are forcing us to follow an illegal instruction.” But the SRC’s directive was no bluff, and it has now invoked its powers under the terms of the SRC Act.Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been re-elected chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket•Zimbabwe Cricket

“The fact that Zimbabwe Cricket is a Full Member of the International Cricket Council does not mean that it is not subject to the laws of Zimbabwe, in particular the provisions of the SRC Act,” read a press statement released by the SRC.While it is obviously subject to the laws of Zimbabwe, ZC is also beholden to the ICC’s rules on government meddling in the running of cricket boards, and it wasto these rules that Makoni drew attention in his reply to SRC director general Prince Mupazviriho earlier this week.Makoni wrote: “Your letter and subsequent actions by way of an SRC board resolution to suspend the ZC elective AGM could be viewed by the ICC as Government interference…”Quoting the ICC’s constitutional rules on such interference, Makoni also warned of the possible consequences, namely, the suspension of Zimbabwe from the ICC. “The gravity of the effects of suspension cannot be overemphasized because once a full member has been suspended and in the event that they are reinstated, there is no guarantee that they will be reinstated as a full member,” he wrote.According to Section 2.4 (D) of the ICC constitution, every member must “manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government (or other public or quasi-public body) interference in its governance, regulation and/or administration of Cricket in its Cricket Playing Country.”Furthermore, according to Section 2.10 (A), the ICC board of directors “may suspend the membership of a Member with immediate effect where, in the opinion of the Board of Directors (in its absolute discretion), the Member is in serious breach of any of its obligations as a Member.”It is understood that ZC immediately informed the ICC of the SRC directive to suspend their elective AGM, and that the meeting went ahead with ICC backing. However, in a letter sent to Mukuhlani last weekend and seen by ESPNcricinfo, ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney warned that even if the meeting went ahead, as it did, the ICC Board might still suspend ZC, withhold financial support, bar Zimbabwean teams from taking part in ICC events and “suspend the right to attend and/or vote at ICC Board and Full Council Meetings”. The ICC’s annual conference is due to take place in July.The vital question appears to be whether the SRC’s actions amount to interference in the eyes of the ICC. The SRC’s press statement outlined what it termed “the great irony” of ZC seeking government help to service its debts, but then claiming government interference when the SRC subsequently demanded “greater compliance and transparency”. It was with the government’s help that ZC was able to secure a significant discount on its debts last year, without which ZC would not have been able to fulfil the requirements set out by the ICC for further funding. Had they not been able to do so, Zimbabwe would have been in real danger of suspension from the ICC.Givemore Makoni•Getty Images

“The fiction of Government interference, fed to the International Cricket Council as a red herring only served, perhaps, to underscore the blatant disregard of the SRC’s statutory authority by Zimbabwe Cricket,” the SRC statement continued.”That alleged, and self serving term: ‘Government interference’ did not, conveniently, exist, when Zimbabwe Cricket sought, and obtained, effectively, a Government guarantee – and public funds – through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s wholly owned subsidiary, Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (Private) Limited (‘ZAMCO’), for the repayment and restructuring of its local and foreign liabilities, including monies owed to the International Cricket Council, in 2018.”For its part, the SRC is also openly asking for the ICC’s assistance in helping the interim committee to execute its immediate terms of reference. These include the conducting of a forensic audit “using a firm recommended by the International Cricket Council” into ZC’s financial affairs between 2015 and 2018.Indeed, both the ICC and the SRC have displayed a keen interest in the outcome of such an audit.Sawhney’s letter to Mukuhlani concludes: “Finally, as part of the responsible management of the funding due to ZC from ICC (in accordance with the arrangements put in place after the Annual Conference last year), and in response to these latest concerns, the ICC would be willing to carry out and/or oversee an independent audit of the latest ZC financial statements in order to ascertain the current state of financial health of ZC.”Aside from the audit, the interim committee’s mandate includes various other activities, including “to assess all allegations of theft, fraud and corruption”, and “to institute the necessary criminal prosecution and/or civil action”. The committee will also examine all loans extended to ZC, the processes leading to the recent electoral AGM, and amend provincial constitutions “to ensure that only persons with a verifiable and credible background in cricket and professional administration are eligible for election in provincial structures”.”The interim committee shall, in conjunction with the International Cricket Council, implement and undertake all such measures as shall be required to ensure for Zimbabwe’s adherence to its constitutional obligations as set out in the ICC’s articles of association,” the statement continued, also setting a date for a new ZC board election, “on or before 15th September, 2020”.ESPNcricinfo has contacted the ICC for a comment on the matter.The men’s senior national team is currently on tour in the Netherlands, with the women also set to tour Netherlands before both sides head to Ireland for limited-overs series. The men’s side slipped to a 2-0 series defeat in their ODI series against Netherlands on Friday, and they have two T20Is still to come on their trip. It is as yet unclear whether these tours would be affected by the latest developments.Aside from these bilateral series, both the men’s and women’s teams are also due to take part in the global qualifiers for the two T20 World Cups. The ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier is due to take place in Scotland in August and September, while the men’s qualifying tournament will take place in UAE in October and November. If Zimbabwe are suspended by the ICC, their teams will not be able to take part in these tournaments, or in the T20 World Cups in Australia in 2020.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou refused to rule out late January transfer twists in a press conference on Tuesday (via Dan Kilpatrick), and rumours continue to flood in as we approach deadline day on February 1.

Spurs linked with signing new midfielder

The north Londoners, regardless of what happens next, can say they've enjoyed their most productive winter transfer window in recent memory.

Related All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

Posts ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team moved to shore up Postecoglou's defensive ranks by signing centre-back Radu Dragusin in a £25 million move from Genoa, while also sealing a loan deal to bring in Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.

Securing a top-class defender of Dragusin's ilk was particularly important, as Tottenham's real lack of central defensive depth behind Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero was brought to the forefront time and time again before the Romanian's arrival.

All confirmed Tottenham deals for January

Transfer

Timo Werner

Arrival (RB Leipzig, loan)

Radu Dragusin

Arrival (Genoa, permanent)

Djed Spence

Departure (Genoa, loan)

Ivan Perisic

Departure (Hajduk Split, loan)

Eric Dier

Departure (Bayern Munich, loan)

Sergio Reguilon

Departure (Brentford, loan)

Japhet Tanganga

Departure (Millwall, loan)

Ashley Phillips

Departure (Plymouth, loan)

Werner's signing also gifts Postecoglou another attacking option, and a versatile one at that. The Germany international can play both through the middle and out wide, with his best ever season being at Leipzig in 2019/2020 – when he bagged 28 goals and eight assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances.

A third January signing hasn't been completely taken off the table, either, nor has another exit. Tottenham are believed to be keen on signing another midfielder, and are known admirers of Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

The 23-year-old is attracting late window interest from Spurs, coming after they also attempted to prise him away from Stamford Bridge in the summer.

He's been a key player for Mauricio Pochettino this season, leading the way with Cole Palmer in terms of league assists, and has started 20 Premier League games.

Tottenham could still make "shock" Gallagher signing

Commenting on Tottenham's interest in the 23-year-old, speaking to The BBC’s Transfer Gossip Daily this week (via football 365), Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has shared a hopeful update.

He says Gallagher signing for Spurs "could happen" yet before the deadline, and it would be one of the "most shocking" transfers of the month.

“It’s really interesting. I said that it would be complete and utter madness for Chelsea to sell the player they have given their captain’s armband to under Pochettino," said Edwards.

“But it comes down to business logic. He has 18 months left on his deal and he has been made available, a soft availability is what I call it. The world of football has known Conor Gallagher, if you pay the right money he will be allowed to leave.

"Tottenham have had a long standing interest, Tottenham sold Harry Kane for pure profit and they have got the room to do stuff this month that other clubs haven’t.

“I think that would be one of the most shocking, the most talked about, the most headline grabbing transfers. It’s been rumoured all month.

“If Tottenham are going to make their move they will have to do it in the next 48 hours but that’s definitely one of the more controversial transfers that could happen.”

Edwards also states to The BBC that he could see Chelsea accepting a bid in the region of £50m for Gallagher.

MatériaMais Notícias

O treinador Léo Neiva iniciou as eliminatórias da Concacaf com o pé direito. O brasileiro levou a seleção de São Cristóvão e Névis para duas vitórias nos primeiros dois jogos das eliminatórias nesta última data Fifa. A primeira, contra Porto Rico, por 1 a 0, e a segunda contra a seleção de Bahamas, por 4 a 0. Léo comentou sobre esse momento especial na carreira.

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– Dois resultados incríveis. Trabalhamos muito no dia a dia dentro das nossas possibilidades e conseguimos ótimos resultados que nos deram grandes chances de classificação. Isso tudo é mérito da comissão e do grupo de jogadores que deram tudo em campo. Mas é importante salientar também que ainda temos muito a ser feito e vários pontos a melhorar. As vitórias não podem acobertar os defeitos. Vamos treinar ainda mais duro para voltar melhores em junho, sempre com muita humildade e pés no chão – disse.

São Cristóvão e Névis terminou a fase inicial das eliminatórias como líder do Grupo F, que conta com Guiana, Porto Rico, Bahamas e Trinidad e Tobago. A equipe de Léo tem seis pontos, dois a frente da segunda colocada Trinidad e Tobago. O continuação das eliminatórias só ocorre no dia 4 de junho.

Essa foi a primeira vez que a seleção do país jogou com mais jogadores locais do que os chamados “internacionais”, isto é, aqueles que atuam em outros países. Na primeira partida foram seis locais e cinco internacionais. Na segunda, foram sete locais e 4 internacionais. O time ainda não pode contar com seus principais destaques por conta de lesões e Covid. Um deles o Romayne Sawyers, jogador da Premier League Inglesa.

Outro fator que prejudicou a preparação da seleção também foi a rigidez dos protocolos do Covid-19 no país. A equipe não pode fazer amistosos e nem receber outras equipes. Caso alguém de fora venha para São Cristóvão e Névis, a pessoa é obrigada a fazer 14 dias de quarentena. Léo falou mais sobre os objetivos da seleção.

– Nosso trabalho aqui tem o objetivo de deixar um legado. Queremos desenvolver o jogador local para que cada vez mais São Cristóvão e Névis exporte jogadores. As crianças aqui tem que crescer vendo os caras daqui como inspiração. Hoje temos em mente um projeto de trabalho a longo prazo que visa esse desenvolvimento do futebol – finalizou o treinador.

It has been a real Jekyll and Hyde kind of season for Arsenal so far this year. Just a few weeks ago, they were leaving Anfield with a point and spending Christmas Day atop the Premier League table, and yet after back-to-back league losses, they now find themselves fourth and five points off the top spot.

Worse yet, Mikel Arteta's men then crashed out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool to leave their campaign in limbo.

The biggest problem for the team has been scoring goals, and so, with the transfer window now open, they have been linked to a plethora of forwards and the latest, Bologna's Joshua Zirkzee, has been compared to one of the best players of the Emirates era, Alexis Sanchez.

Arsenal transfer news – Joshua Zirkzee

According to a report from the Daily Telegraph's Sam Dean, Arsenal are looking for a new striker in 2024 and are "keeping a close eye" on Bologna's exciting 22-year-old talisman.

However, the bad news for the Gunners is that it will be a pricey move to complete, as the Serie A side are holding out for offers in the region of £50m, and after the summer of spending that Arsenal had, that could prove difficult.

That said, with the north Londoners still just about in the title race, they might push the boat out and get their man, as his nine goal involvements in 18 starts suggest that he could be a real difference maker.

Moreover, the comparison to former Arsenal star Sanchez might be enough to convince Arteta, as he was still playing for the club when the dynamic forward was blowing teams away.

Zirkzee could be Arsenal's next Sanchez and solve their goalscoring woes

Now, while Sanchez's time with the Gunners ended poorly – to put it mildly – when he was on song, he was magnificent, often winning games single-handedly, having scored 80 goals and provided 45 assists in just 166 games for the club.

So, if an Arsenal-linked forward is to be compared to any player, the Chilean star is pretty good going.

The comparison stems from FBref, which lists the ten most similar players for most footballers in their database. These comparisons are made and ranked based on characteristics that stars share with one another.

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So, the most significant similarities between Sanchez and Zirkzee lie in their passing, dribbling, and positional characteristics. For example, the Dutch forward is among the top 15% of strikers in Europe's top five leagues for attempted passes, while the Inter Milan man is among the top 11%.

Likewise, the "elite" Serie A striker, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, is among the top 17% of forwards for successful take-ons, while the former Manchester United winger is among the top 15%, and these are just some of the ways they mirror one another.

That said, while it is always good to measure up with one of the club's most impressive players of the last decade, how do his underlying numbers compare to Gabriel Jesus? As after all, the Brazilian would be his main competition in N5.

Well, in most of the relevant attacking metrics, it's the "out of the world" Zikzee, as described by Mattinson, that comes out on top.

Joshua Zirkzee vs Gabriel Jesus
Stats per 90	Zirkzee	Jesus
Expected Goals + Assists	0.44	0.60
Goals	0.40	0.29
Assists	0.11	0.10
Progressive Passes	2.71	2.69
Progressive Carries	1.30	2.02
Goals per Shot on Target	0.33	0.09
Aerial Duels Won	1.02	0.96
All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season

He produces more progressive passes, wins more aerial duels, scores more goals, and produces more assists from a smaller expected goal and assists figure than Jesus.

Ultimately, with the Gunners in real need of a reliable number nine at the moment, Arteta should be pushing hard to get Zirkzee through the door.

The former New Zealand coach had taken charge of the IPL franchise in October last year for the 2019 IPL season, where Kings XI finished sixth

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2019Mike Hesson has parted ways with Kings XI Punjab after a ten-month tenure as coach of the IPL franchise.Hesson announced his decision to step down through a post on Twitter on Thursday.”I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Kings XI franchise,” his tweet said, “and wish to thank them for the season I had in charge. Whilst disappointed not to be able to build on the work we did this year, I’m sure success isn’t too far away for them. I wish them all the best for the future.”

A message from me regarding @lionsdenkxip pic.twitter.com/xOGfEw4LBq

— Mike Hesson (@CoachHesson) August 7, 2019

Hesson’s departure from the IPL comes at a time of significant coaching changes at the international level in the aftermath of the men’s World Cup.Hesson, who had coached New Zealand between 2012 and 2018, replaced Australian Brad Hodge as Kings XI coach in October last year. He took up the IPL role five months after stepping down as New Zealand coach, and his stint with Kings XI was his first in a T20 franchise league. During his tenure, Kings XI finished sixth in IPL 2019, winning six of their 14 games, with R Ashwin as captain.Hesson had quit as New Zealand coach less than a year before the 2019 World Cup, with a view to taking a “break from the rigours of international cricket”. Under him, New Zealand became a dominant Test team and also made the World Cup final in 2015. In 59 T20Is under Hesson, New Zealand won 30 and lost 24.

35-over match West Indies needed a win to share the three-match series 1-1. Their single biggest opportunity to take a step towards victory came in the sixth over of the second innings, when Virat Kohli, only on 11, inside-edged a flick to Shai Hope, only for the wicketkeeper to drop the catch.Had the catch off Keemo Paul been taken, India would have been 45 for 2 – chasing a revised target of 255 in 35 overs in a rain-affected match – with both Rohit Sharma and Kohli back in the pavilion. Instead, Kohli settled in and presented West Indies no further chances. Eventually, India cruised to a six-wicket win, clinching the series 2-0 with 15 balls to spare.By no means was it all about Kohli. Shreyas Iyer, for the second game in a row, scored a half-century from No. 5, and helped put India back on track after they had lost Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant in the same over to slip to 92 for 3. India needed 164 from 134 balls at that stage, and Iyer put on 120 off just 94 balls with Kohli to ensure India were always in touch with the required rate.Just as he had done in the second ODI, Iyer was fluent from the start, and the shots he played took the pressure off Kohli. Once he settled, Iyer broke free with successive sixes off Allen, and followed up with another off Roston Chase in the next over. From the other end, Kohli mauled Jason Holder for consecutive fours and punished Paul with an inside-out drive through the covers.Iyer reached his half-century off just 33 balls, before holing out to long-off while looking for another six in the 29th over. By then, his 41-ball 65 and his partnership with Kohli had brought the equation down to only 43 runs off 40 deliveries.Kohli was flawless after the dropped chance. After the fall of Dhawan and Pant, he let Iyer hog the limelight for a while, taking the back seat and cruising towards his half-century. But once he got there, he began dismantling the opposition attack. When Iyer fell in the 29th over, Kohli was already on 89, and he soon reached his 43rd ODI hundred in the 31st over with a flick to deep midwicket. In the same over, he became the first man to score 20,000 international runs in a decade. When Kohli raised his bat, India needed just 18 off four overs, and he and Kedar Jadhav didn’t take too much longer to bring the curtains down on a rain-hit ODI series.After opting to bat first, West Indies rode on a 115-run stand between openers Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis to finish on 240 for 7 in their 35 overs. West Indies could have made even more, given that they had rattled along at more than 11 an over in the first third of their innings, but wickets and rain delays slowed them down.Before this game, Gayle had scored 11 runs in 55 balls in this ODI series. But he showed very early that his tempo would be very different in this series finale.The number 301 – his ODI count – had replaced the famous 45 on the back of his jersey, and murmurs began that this could be Gayle’s final ODI. While there was no confirmation of this, Gayle batted as if this were a celebration of his career, smacking eight fours and five sixes in a 41-ball innings, scoring 86% of his runs in boundaries, and ending up with a strike rate north of 175.Another day…another landmark for Virat Kohli•Associated Press

Either side of a 15-minute rain break, Mohammed Shami faced the brunt of Gayle’s hitting. Length balls were swatted over the bowler’s head or through midwicket, and fuller balls lifted over cover. After the end of a 20-run sixth over, West Indies were already at 49.It wasn’t just Gayle who was finding the sweet spot, as Lewis looted runs off the other two seamers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed. Lewis was quick to spot Bhuvneshwar’s change-ups in the fifth and seventh overs, and both times swatted the ball into the second tier. One hit a pillar so hard that it ricocheted back onto the ground. After nine overs, West Indies were 97 for no loss. This after they had begun with a maiden.Gayle reached his half-century in the tenth over, acknowledged by a sparse Port-of-Spain crowd that had been awoken by the kind of batting that West Indies had been missing through this series. Clearing his front leg, Gayle hammered a full delivery from Khaleel over midwicket to bring up his 54th ODI half-century, and followed it up with an audacious one-handed six next ball over long leg. Four came off the next ball, over mid-off, and West Indies ended the 10th over at 114 for 0.With the first Powerplay done Virat Kohli brought on Yuzvendra Chahal, and he struck immediately, with Lewis top-edging a slog to long-on. It was another ‘what-if’ innings from Lewis, to follow up his 65* and 40 in the first two matches.The dismissal did not seem to slow Gayle down, as he smacked Khaleel for another four in the next over, past point, but he fell next ball, making room to hit Khaleel down the ground, but failing to find the elevation, and finding a diving Kohli at mid-off. Gayle left to hand-shakes from the India fielders and a jig with Kohli.Assisted by an outfield that had slowed down thanks to the rain, India managed to plug the flow of boundaries. And when Jadhav completed the game’s 22nd over, the rain returned, sending the teams off the field for another three hours.When the teams returned at 2.35pm local time, West Indies suddenly had only 13 overs left, with eight wickets in hand. Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope fell trying to up the run rate, the former foxed by a slower ball from Shami and the latter bowled trying to cut Ravindra Jadeja off the stumps.Nicholas Pooran pulled Chahal in the 29th over to infuse life into the crowd, and slog-sweept Jadeja twice over cow corner, before falling for 30 off 16 balls, chipping Shami to long-on. West Indies then took 15 off the last over, bowled by Khaleel, and went into the break with momentum behind them.. Kohli and Iyer, however, ensured they couldn’t convert it into anything more substantial.

Nottingham Forest could also sign an “attacking” defender alongside Giovanni Reyna and Rodrigo Ribeiro before the deadline, with an agreement reportedly reached.

Nottingham Forest set to sign Reyna

Nuno Espirito Santo is yet to make his first signing in charge at the City Ground, with the Reds’ focus so far being on moving players out of the club. The likes of Emmanuel Dennis, Jonathan Panzo and Scott McKenna have all sealed loan exits, joining Watford, Standard Liege and FC Copenhagen respectively.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

Talking about transfers following the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, Nuno was coy on potential incomings, saying: “It is two days to go. Let’s wait and see. Since the window opened there has been things going on. We have to wait and see what happens in the last days.”

Since then, it has emerged that Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Reyna is on course to become Forest’s first January signing, with Fabrizio Romano sharing an update on Wednesday morning.

Following that, it has been added that striker Rodrigo Ribeiro is also on course to move to Forest on a loan with an option to buy deal from Sporting CP.

However, the pair may not be the only players through the door before tomorrow evening’s deadline, with an update coming to light on a new full-back.

Nottingham Forest reach Brandon Soppy agreement

According to journalist Orazio Accomando, Nottingham Forest have reached an “agreement” for defender Brandon Soppy, although he doesn’t state if a deal would be a loan or permanent transfer. Since then, it has been added that Schalke are in talks over a loan deal for the full-back, while Torino are shopping for replacements, so there could be a late tussle for his signature.

Soppy is 21 years of age and is currently on loan at Torino from Atalanta. However, it looks as if his temporary spell could come to an end with a move to Forest. The Frenchman is primarily a right-back and can also play as a left-back or as a right-midfielder. Previously on the books of Rennes and Udinese, Soppy’s Transfermarkt valuation has dropped in the last 12 months, so he could need a new challenge in England.

Brandon Soppy stats	Appearances	Assists
Udinese	32	0
Atalanta	16	4
Rennes	11	0
Torino	5	0

Once linked with a move to Celtic, French football expert Adam White said at the time that Soppy is a “very attacking” full-back with a lot of potential.

“He's very inexperienced and very attacking. Soppy likes to take players on and is very good on the ball. He has a lot of potential and there's a reason why all these clubs are interested in him – he has talent.”

Nuno currently has Neco Williams, Gonzalo Montiel, Ola Aina, Serge Aurier and Richie Laryea as his right-back options, and by the looks of things, Soppy could be the next to arrive to challenge for a starting spot.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney believes Jack Grealish deserved a place in Gareth Southgate's squad at Euro 2024.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Grealish surprisingly dropped from squad
• Rooney believes Man City star deserved spot
• Names player he would drop for winger

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester City winger Grealish was cut from the squad when Southgate announced his 26-man team for the competition in Germany this summer, much to the surprise of many. Even Grealish's own Three Lions co-stars were reportedly shocked by the manager's decision and one senior player is said to have approached him for an explanation.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Instead, the likes of Chelsea sensation Cole Palmer, Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and West Ham attacker Jarrod Bowen were included in the squad after doing a better job than Grealish when it comes to impressing Southgate during the 2023-24 campaign. However, Rooney believes the City winger should be there, citing Bowen as the one he would drop in favour of the ex-Aston Villa hero.

• WHAT ROONEY SAID

  "Grealish, I would have taken him." Rooney said on podcast ahead of the tournament. "Bowen on the right, they have Saka, Cole Palmer, Foden could play out there. I would have taken Grealish instead of Bowen."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  Southgate will hope he does not come to regret his decision to leave Grealish out of the squad as England prepare to embark on their Euro 2024 journey. The beaten Euro 2020 finalists' campaign begins with a game against Serbia before they meet Denmark and Slovenia.