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Mitchell Starc will miss Australia’s Test tour of Bangladesh in August due to injury, while left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has been axed despite bowling Australia to victory with a 12-wicket haul against India in Pune earlier this year

Brydon Coverdale16-Jun-2017Mitchell Starc will miss Australia’s Test tour of Bangladesh in August due to injury, while left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has been axed despite bowling Australia to victory with a 12-wicket haul against India in Pune earlier this year. Ashton Agar has been included as the second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon, with Jon Holland overlooked after piling up 50 Sheffield Shield wickets at 20.78 last summer.Allrounder Hilton Cartwright has been named in the 13-man squad and has the chance to add to the one Test cap he earned during Australia’s home summer, while Usman Khawaja has been included after being overlooked for all four Tests in India. In the absence of Starc, Australia’s pace attack will be made up of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, although a fourth fast bowler is set to be added after Australia A’s tour of South Africa.Australia’s 13-man squad

Steven Smith (capt), David Warner (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Matt Renshaw
In: Hilton Cartwright, James Pattinson
Out: Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Jackson Bird

“Mitchell was due to go for follow up scans after the Champions Trophy, as part of his recovery plan,” David Beakley, Australia’s team physio, said. “These scans have indicated his previous stress fracture has still not fully healed to the extent we would like.”He will now undertake a period of rest from bowling with the aim to have him return for the one-day series in India in late September as he begins his build up to the Ashes.”The omission of O’Keefe is a rapid fall for the left-arm spinner, who claimed 6 for 35 in each innings in Pune in February, and finished the series as Australia’s equal leading wicket-taker despite his impact diminishing as the tour wore on. Then in April, O’Keefe was fined and suspended by New South Wales for what were described as “highly inappropriate comments” at a Cricket NSW function.”Whilst Steve O’Keefe bowled well in Pune,” national selector Trevor Hohns said, “he did not maintain this level in the remaining matches of the series and we believe the timing is right for Ashton to enter the set-up and test his allrounder ability.”Ashton has continued to impress us with his form and we believe his bowling is at a level where he deserves to be playing on the highest stage. He will work nicely in tandem with Nathan Lyon and also brings a great all-round package to the team.”Hilton averages nearly 60 [52.07] runs in first-class cricket and was the second highest run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season with 861 runs. He is a quality player who we believe has a big future for Australia and we are very keen to see him carry on his good form in the sub-continent.”Although the tour schedule had not been officially announced, Cricket Australia said in releasing the squad details that the team would arrive in Bangladesh on August 18 and play a two-day tour game in Fatullah from August 22. The two Tests are set for August 27 in Dhaka and September 4 in Chittagong.Australia were supposed to tour Bangladesh in 2015 but after advice from the Federal Government, Cricket Australia announced the tour had been postponed due to security concerns. Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of team performance, said CA was currently satisfied with the security arrangements for the trip.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Government have provided satisfactory levels of assurance and security for this tour to proceed at this stage, and we’re very grateful to them for this,” Howard said. “We will continue to work with them to finalise plans but also monitor advice from government agencies and our own security advisors about the security risk.”Our number one priority will always be the safety and security of our players and support staff when travelling to any country. Players selected for this tour will continue to receive regular security status updates prior to travelling.”

Sri Lanka’s cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said the team was slightly let down by lack of bounce and slow pace of the the R Premadasa Stadium surface

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jul-2017For Asanka Gurusinha, Sri Lanka’s inability to dismiss Zimbabwe by the end of the first day, after having them 96 for 4 at lunch, was partly owed to a significant slowing of the R Premadasa Stadium pitch. Gurusinha, the team’s cricket manager, suggested the slow bowlers’ menace dived substantially after the first break.”The feedback I got from the players was that there was moisture in the morning, so the track did turn a bit, and the ball did a little bit,” Gurusinha said. “After lunch it settled down so much, and even now, when I spoke to them, they said the ball comes slow off the wicket, and doesn’t do anything. It’s more like an old Premadasa wicket.”Zimbabwe scored 117 for the loss of two batsmen in the afternoon session, and 132 for the loss of a further two wickets in the evening. The run rate across both those sessions was four, and the unbeaten ninth-wicket partnership was especially brisk, with 62 runs coming off 97 deliveries.”We did bowl some loose stuff,” Gurusinha said. “We were lucky to have Rangana Herath there, but even to him they had time to get on the back foot and pull him, because it wasn’t coming on at the pace we were expecting. Our discussion at lunch was that we had done well in that first session to take four.”In the second session, we actually discussed that this was a tough session, because the wicket was settling down, and we’ve got to contain as well. To me Zimbabwe got off easy a little in that session. They got some runs, as well as us getting wickets.”Gurusinha put the seamers’ inability to take more than one wicket between them in the day down to conditions, with little seam or bounce on offer. Among the other disappointments for Sri Lanka was the bowling of Dilruwan Perera, the offspinner. He took the wicket of Sean Williams in the morning, but rarely threatened in the second and third sessions, and finished with 1 for 86.”Dilruwan I don’t think he was his normal self, and that might be because he hasn’t played matches recently,” Gurusinha said. “I’m hoping by the second innings he will get that loop we’re used to seeing, and build that partnership.”We also expected a little more bounce than this. That bounce is not that good. It’s a bit low bounce. As soon as that happens, the spinners will also struggle. People like Rangana and Dilruwan will do well if there was a little bit of bounce on the wicket as a spinner, but we’ve got to work hard on these tracks and do well.”Gurusinha said Sri Lanka would also have batted if they had won the toss. Zimbabwe bat deep in this match. Their recognised batsmen go down to No. 8, but even their No. 10 batsman – Donald Tiripano – has a first-class hundred. When it comes time for Sri Lanka to bat, the hosts will also hope their long lineup pays off.”The way the track is playing, I’m expecting our batsmen also to put their heads down and bat long,” Gurusinha said. “Especially in the last session today you saw there were no demons on the wicket. It was easy to play shots and even their no. 10 was batting well. That showed there was enough time to play the shots. The batsmen will have to play their shots and play normal cricket. But the first thing is to get those last two wickets in the first hour or half hour tomorrow.”Meanwhile, Craig Ervine agreed with Gurusinha that the pitch became easier to bat on, but was unsatisfied by the absence of a big score from his teammates. After Ervine’s 151, the highest score for Zimbabwe was 36, by Sikander Raza and Malcolm Waller. Zimbabwe’s No. 10 Donald Tiripano is still unbeaten on 24, however.”It was disappointing to have only one fifty-plus score,” Ervine said. “Guys did get in, but gave couple of wickets away. That’s the way it goes and we put that behind us and come back tomorrow. Donald can bat and he can stick around. I have lot of faith in him.”Ervine described his five-and-a-half hour stay at the crease as exhausting, thanks to Colombo’s heat and humidity. However, his work was made easier by a flattening surface. “At the start, the wicket was little bit damp. But once it dried out, it’s nice wicket to bat on. We wanted a good rate throughout the day.”

Leeds United are expected to make an offer for Palmeiras defender Joaquin Piquerez in the coming days, according to an update from journalist Diego Firmino.

Who is Joaquin Piquerez?

The 24-year-old is now an experienced player who has enjoyed a good career to date, winning nine caps for Uruguay and playing for Palmeiras since 2021, having arrived from Penarol.

Piquerez has made 101 appearances for his current club, generally operating as a left-back but also at wing-back, scoring five goals and registering nine assists in that time. He also assisted 11 times in 53 outings for Penarol, outlining the attacking quality that he can provide from deep.

It could be that Leeds are looking to bring in a new left-back following the form of the hugely disappointing Junior Firpo, who failed to live up to expectations after arriving from Barcelona. That area now looks hugely lacking in quality, and if the Whites are to be among the promotion favourites in 2023/24, such positions need to be filled sufficiently.

Piquerez looks like a primary target for Leeds, following a significant update that has emerged regarding his future as they look to get a deal over the line in swift fashion.

Could Leeds sign Joaquin Piquerez?

According to Firmino on Twitter [via Sport Witness], Leeds are set to bid for Piquerez in the very near future, with a transfer having the potential to develop in a matter of days:

"Since I only talk about exits really, Leeds United interested in Piquerez. If not, proposals should arrive in the next few days. Whether it will come out or not, I don't know, it's another 500. Let's wait."

Piquerez may not necessarily be a household name to many Leeds supporters, but he is someone who could be a really shrewd signing as they look to bounce straight back in 2023/24 and sealing promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.

The fact that he has won nine caps for a Uruguay side featuring so much talent from Luis Suarez to Fede Valverde says a lot about his quality, and the Whites could arguably be signing someone who is far too good to be playing in the second tier of English football.

At 24, Piquerez is still relatively young, making him a long-term acquisition for Leeds, and while his contract doesn't expire until the end of 2025, he shouldn't cost too much, and more funds should be available following 49ers Enterprises' takeover at Elland Road.

It is essential that an upgrade on Firpo comes in, avoiding another transfer error and ensuring someone consistent arrives, and Piquerez's experience to date suggests that he could make an ideal signing.

There is the risk that he has never tested himself in European football, and therefore could find it difficult to adjust to the pace and power of the English game, but if Daniel Farke sees him as a strong option to come in at left-back, the Leeds manager has to be trusted in the transfer market, bringing in the players he wants in the process.

Leeds United have seen an offer for Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel turned down, according to fresh reports from Germany.

Who is Alexander Nubel?

Nubel is a goalkeeper who first arrived at the Allianz Arena on a free transfer from FC Schalke back in 2020, but the following term, he completed a two-year loan switch to Monaco meaning that he’s only recently returned to his parent club in the Bundesliga, as per Transfermarkt.

During his time with Adi Hutter’s side, the 26-year-old started all 38 games in Ligue 1 and firmly established himself as their first-choice, a luxury he’s never been used with Thomas Tuchel’s outfit whose official number one and captain is Manuel Neuer, hence why the former moved elsewhere to receive more regular game time.

Bild recently reported that the German doesn’t see his long-term future at the club and has made it clear to them that he wants to leave, and it was stated that Stuttgart want to take him on loan whilst the Whites were more so looking to wrap up a permanent deal.

Sky Sports in his homeland soon after claimed that Bayern were set to make a final decision on his future by Monday, and if the following update is to be believed, Daniel Farke and the 49ers have already learned their fate as to whether they were successful in their pursuit.

Are Leeds signing Alexander Nubel?

According to Kicker (via Sport Witness), Leeds, and by extension new owners the 49ers Enterprises, “made an offer” for Nubel worth in excess of €10m (£8m) plus bonuses after learning that Stuttgart had failed in their opening attempt to land him.

Bayern’s shot-stopper is believed to hold a “negative attitude” towards the project in Yorkshire, with relegation to the Championship having not “helped them”, and therefore, doesn't want to make the move. The German giants are claimed to have since resumed discussions and have reached an agreement over a loan move with Stuttgart, therefore meaning that he won’t be going to Elland Road.

Is Leeds missing out on Alexander Nubel a blow for Farke?

Leeds might have to enter the market for a new goalkeeper this summer should Illan Meslier depart, which there’s a strong chance he will having admitted that he would be open to a move to Chelsea, and Nubel could have been the perfect replacement having been hailed “top class” by journalist Josh Bunting.

At Monaco, the 6 foot 3 colossus kept nine clean sheets from 38 Ligue 1 matches last season and he recorded a total of 140 saves from 195 shots on target against, giving him a success rate of 72.8%,via FBRef, a percentage that’s significantly higher than Meslier’s 59.5%, showing that he could have been an upgrade on Farke’s current number one.

Nubel, who has experience of playing in both the Champions League and Europa League, also has an extremely strong range of passing having completed 99.2% of his short dispatches and 97.5% of his medium dispatches so has an eye for picking passes to his outfield teammates, but this is a quality that the boss will have to do without after seeing his approach turned down.

Derbyshire need to dismiss Glamorgan for fewer than 212 to break a two-year drought in the Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2017
ScorecardThe spectators who had waited four hours before play started were rewarded for their patience as they saw Derbyshire dismissed for 160 in 44.2 overs, and leave Glamorgan 212 to win. They faced six overs and with the final ball of the day – and without a run on the board – Jeevan Mendis trapped Jacques Rudolph leg before.Derbyshire meanwhile will be quietly confident of winning only their first championship game since beating Leicestershire in September 2015, as the ball is turning, with Mendis and the 16-year-old off spinner, Hamidullah Qadri, capable of troubling the Glamorgan batsmen.Resuming at 2 for 0, Derbyshire lost both nightwatchmen in Marchant De Lange’s first two overs. Tom Taylor was bowled by the fourth ball of the day, before Tony Palladino was caught at cover point from a leading edge. Billy Godleman, who had batted 43 overs for his 34 in the first innings, counter attacked effectively to score 27 from 22 balls, before he became De Lange’s third victim when he parried a lifting ball to gully.Andrew Salter was introduced when De Lange was rested, and despite being swept for four by Wayne Madsen from successive balls, Salter got his revenge when Madsen prodded to short leg.Luis Reece held the innings together with a fluent half century which included eight boundaries, but Derbyshire then lost 4 wickets for 16 runs. Graham Wagg removed Gary Wilson and Alex Hughes, while Salter, obtaining enough turn to trouble the batsmen, also took two wickets, including Reece for 55. After a breezy knock from Mendis, the innings ended with Timm Van Der Gugten taking the final two wickets in successive overs.Luis Reece battled to give Derbyshire a rare chance of victory•Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur are "still working" on a deal for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba despite a lack of media updates in recent weeks, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Tapsoba joining Tottenham?

In what now feels like an eternity go, one of the first big rumours of this summer was Tottenham's interest in Bundesliga defender Tapsoba.

The 24-year-old played a big role in Xabi Alonso's transformation of Leverkusen last season and has blossomed into one of the German top tier's best centre-backs.

Due to Tottenham's defensive woes last season – the Lilywhites conceded 63 goals in 38 matches in the Premier League – new boss Ange Postecoglou is keen on reinforcing his defensive unit, and has singled out Tapsoba as someone capable of reinvigorating the Spurs backline.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Tapsoba, who was hailed as "dangerous", could set Spurs back £42.5m, something which has been perceived as one of the reasons why the deal has struggled to advance quickly.

However, despite a lack of recent updates in the media, transfer expert Romano insists that a deal is still "absolutely on" and that the Lilywhites are "still working" on making the transfer happen this window.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano said: ""It's gone a bit quiet on the media side, but I'm told that yes the deal is absolutely on. It’s a difficult deal and it has always been a difficult deal, because Bayer Leverkusen are a difficult club to negotiate with and we saw that with many other deals in the past.

"This is still the case because they want big money for their stars and it's not easy at all, but Tottenham are still working.”

While a deal with Leverkusen looks like it may be a complicated one to finalise, there is still just over a month of the transfer window remaining, meaning there is plenty of time for the clubs to come to an agreement.

Spurs may be keen on knowing the future of Harry Kane amid Bayern Munich links before they go into the market again, as they would need to spend big to replace their star forward.

Regardless of the Kane saga, Postecoglou definitely needs a new centre-back this summer and it will be music to the ears of Spurs supporters that a deal is still being worked on behind the scenes.

Who are Tottenham signing?

Spurs have been one of the busiest sides in the transfer window so far when it comes to new signings, having technically brought in five players.

Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski had their loans made permanent, while James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Manor Solomon have all arrived at the club as well.

But Spurs are not done yet and Tapsoba is not the only Bundesliga centre-back linked with north London. Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven is another name on the Tottenham shortlist, although, similarly to the Tapsoba deal, media coverage has gone quiet in recent weeks.

If Kane is to depart then Spurs will need a new number nine and Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic could be that man. The attacker might leave Turin this summer following a disappointing spell with the Old Lady, but the 23-year-old could revive his career under Postecoglou.

Young Montpellier forward Elye Wahi and Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson have also been touted with potential moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent days.

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-20171:46

The ups and downs in Umar Akmal’s career

Umar Akmal responded to the PCB’s show-cause notice in a defiant manner, urging the cricket board to form a committee of “well-reputed senior players and government officials” to establish whether Mickey Arthur was guilty of “derogatory remarks” against the player.In a letter that repeated many of the allegations he had made against the Pakistan head coach in a fiery press conference last week, Akmal promised to apologise to Arthur should the proposed committee find him guilty, but also made clear he expected the same from Arthur if the verdict was in his favour. Calling himself a national cricketer who had “produced excellent results for Pakistan”, he said that the law did not allow any person to hurt the feelings and self-respect of another individual. He concluded by expressing full faith in the PCB to resolve the matter efficiently, as it was one “of respect, dignity and pride of Pakistan and its nation”.Akmal was sent home from England after failing two fitness tests leading up to the start of the Champions Trophy – despite initially being included in the squad. Akmal had previously been dropped from a tour of the West Indies in April for similar reasons. He was excluded from that squad after he was the only player, out of 31, to fail the fitness test during a camp held at the National Cricket Academy in March.”He [Arthur] shouldn’t be swearing at me like that, it is like he’s abusing all of Pakistan,” Akmal had complained last week. “You look at any cricket match, and you’ll see he’s swearing at one player or the other. I want to reveal this to the public and to all my fans. I request the [PCB] chairman [Najam Sethi] to take this issue very seriously. When the head coach is allowed to swear at someone whenever they wish, that is unacceptable. As a Pakistani, I could not stomach it.”

Arsenal have made an offer for Dinamo Zagreb defender and Croatia international Josip Sutalo, according to recent reports out of Italy.

Who will Arsenal sign?

After a summer of serious spending, reports suggest Mikel Arteta and transfer chief Edu Gaspar are by no means finished.

The Gunners fell just short of eventual treble-winners Man City in the title race last season, but Arsenal have responded with real statements of intent this transfer window.

Arsenal's have invested significantly with over £200 million spent on deals for winger Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber and star midfielder Declan Rice – who cost a club-record £105m to prise away from West Ham.

Arteta, speaking after his side sealed a move for the England international, praised him as a top quality player and one who may strengthen his midfield to no end.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

“We’re really happy that Declan is joining us," said the Arsenal boss after Rice's signing.

"He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now. Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.

“Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy. The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive and we are really excited that he is joining us.”

Arsenal could also move to reinforce their goalkeeping department and provide competition for current number one Aaron Ramsdale. Brentford's David Raya, as per reliable media source Fabrizio Romano, has already agreed personal terms to join them.

Talks to sign the Spaniard are set to accelerate as a result, with reports out of Italy now claiming he could well be followed by defender Sutalo of Dinamo Zagreb.

TUTTOmercatoWEB, as translated by Sport Witness, say Arsenal are one of the sides to have made an offer exceeding €20 million (£17m) for the player.

Sutalo, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is also attracting serious interest from Fiorentina, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham and Ajax.

The aforementioned have all gone over the "threshold" of £17m for Sutalo, but as of yet, they're yet to find a full agreement with Dinamo.

How good is Josip Sutalo?

The Croatian, having only just burst onto the international scene last year, has impressed on-lookers with his performances since the summer of 2022.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig, taking to Twitter, called Sutalo "simply amazing" after brilliant outings over his first two senior appearances for Croatia.

The 6 foot 3 defender was subject to praise from Kulig again in June of this year, who claimed Sutalo is "one of the most underrated U-23 CBs in Europe."

While a deal hasn't been reached with Zagreb just yet, it's clear to see why he is a man in demand, and it looks as if an auction for Sutalo could be sparked before deadline day.

Gloucestershire’s seamers made early inroads after the visitors chose to bowl first in bowler-friendly conditions on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire

ECB Reporters Network05-Sep-2017Leicestershire 90 for 4 (Cosgrove 38*, Norwell 2-16) v Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire’s seamers made early inroads after the visitors chose to bowl first in bowler-friendly conditions on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground.Rain meant no play was possible during the morning session, but umpires Jeff Evans and Nigel Cowley decided play could start immediately following lunch, with 72 overs left to be bowled.As it turned out only 26.3 overs were possible before the rain returned to end play.With the ball swinging in the cloudy and slightly humid conditions, as well as seaming off the green-tinged pitch, batting was a far from straightforward proposition, as Liam Norwell demonstrated in sending both Leicestershire openers back to the pavilion with just 20 runs on the board.First to go was Harry Dearden, the 20-year-old left-hander edging a delivery which left him low to second slip, where Chris Dent held a good low catch, and Michael Carberry quickly followed, edging an in-swinger onto his pad, the ball looping gently to Kieran Noema-Barnett at gully.Foxes’ captain Mark Cosgrove and Colin Ackermann added 33 for the third wicket before Ackermann tried to force an in-swinging delivery from left-arm seamer Matt Taylor through the off side, and succeeded only in edging a low catch to wicket-keeper Gareth Roderick.Ned Eckersley hit one beautifully timed cover drive before he too edged a low catch to Roderick off Josh Shaw, but Cosgrove looked in good touch in going to 38 before the rain set in again.”The pitch is a tad slow, but it nipped around quite a bit to begin with and we did quite nicely,” said Norwell. “Getting the openers early was important, and then Matt Taylor and Josh Shaw bowled really nicely. It was swinging nicely too, and it’s always frustrating to come off when conditions are in your favour like that, but we haven’t bowled many overs and we’ll all be fresh tomorrow.”Cosgrove added: “It was always going to be tough batting first in those conditions, but I think it will move around all game so if we can up to 250 or even 300, we’ll be in a good spot.”We want to play on result pitches, and this looks like one. If we have a good morning tomorrow it could really set the game up.”

Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan are eyeing a late move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga and there has been initial contact.

Who will leave Spurs?

There are numerous candidates up for the Spurs chopping block with defender Joe Rodon now on his way to Leeds United.

Ange Postecoglou could also see the likes of Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon and Tanguy Ndombele leave the club after Spurs confirmed Harry Winks' exit to Leicester last month (The Telegraph).

Lucas Moura departed Tottenham upon the expiry of his contract as well, and as Spurs look to free up space for more signings, supporters can certainly expect more to follow him.

Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, admitted that certain squad members will be looking for new opportunities.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

“It's fair to say our squad is too big at the moment," explained the Spurs head coach.

"There are guys who will want to explore opportunities elsewhere. I'm not involved in that. I think we'll see some movement out in the coming weeks.”

Tanganga, who found game time difficult to come by under Antonio Conte last season, had been attracting serious attention in January – with as many as seven clubs showing a "huge interest" in the homegrown talent.

The 24-year-old was blocked from leaving by Conte in the winter due to a lack of Spurs squad depth, but according to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, a move away for Tanganga could be back on.

The reporter, writing on his personal website, says Italian giants Inter Milan have made contact for the defender as they seek to bolster Simone Inzaghi's options.

Tottenham are now open to loaning Tanganga with an option to buy, something which has seemingly alerted Inter, as they're targeting a move.

Indeed, the Englishman is thought to be on their transfer list, and it will be interesting to see if Tanganga can finally agree a transfer elsewhere in pursuit of game time.

How good is Japhet Tanganga?

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider when Tanganga was linked with a move to AC Milan, says the player can be "outstanding" on his day – thought he has a habit of drawing silly fouls.

“I’ve watched him a few times and sometimes he can be outstanding but sometimes he can be done in behind and make silly fouls.

“Someone like him, at his age, needs to be playing regularly. You don’t want to be a squad player when you are young.

“If he can get that move to AC Milan, I’m sure he’d snap their fingers off. It would be unreal. [Fikayo] Tomori’s there. A lot more players are maybe going to try the Italian league.”

Meanwhile, Conte also singled out Tanganga for praise after a performance in late 2021.

“Do not forget that I think he (Tanganga) played a really good game as the third central defender on the left," said Conte

"I think he made a great performance and I am happy. I am happy for him because Japhet is a player that has a great sense of belonging."