Tottenham Hotspur are now among the clubs most keen on signing a “spectacular” Champions League forward, but it could take a huge bid to tempt his club into a sale.

Spurs eyeing new forward with Semenyo set to join Man City

Tottenham are looking to sign a new forward in the upcoming transfer window, with AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo being identified as a target, but it now appears as though the Ghanaian could be heading to a rival Premier League club.

Indeed, Manchester City have seemingly won the race for Semenyo, as a move to the Etihad Stadium would provide him with the platform to compete for major trophies.

Consequently, Spurs will presumably have to move on to alternative targets, and it was recently revealed that Man City ace Savinho has now emerged as a serious option.

However, the Lilywhites are also considering options from further afield, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they are now among the clubs most keen on signing Juventus star Kenan Yildiz, alongside Chelsea, while Arsenal have also expressed an interest.

Yildiz is Tottenham’s ‘dream’ attacking target, having emerged as one of football’s ‘most exciting breakout talents’, but it could take a huge bid to tempt the Italian club into sanctioning a sale, with a £88m price tag recently being touted.

The report also provides an update on the Turk’s future at Juventus, with it stating the Serie A side’s new sporting director, Marco Ottolini, is expected to open talks over a new contract, and there is an awareness the 20-year-old would prefer to remain in Turin.

"Spectacular" Yildiz could be solid Semenyo alternative

It is disappointing that Tottenham have seemingly missed out on Semenyo, as the Ghana international has already proven himself in England, scoring eight goals in 16 Premier League outings this term, while also providing three assists.

However, the Juventus star has proven that he could be a solid alternative, having put in some top performances this season, weighing in with five goals and four assists in 15 Serie A matches.

Related Tottenham officials sent to club as Spurs eye Hazard-like 'magician' after Semenyo snub

Spurs are craving a new left-winger.

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Scout Jacek Kulig has also waxed lyrical about the Germany-born starlet, lauding him for his ability to make “spectacular solo runs”, which have been on display since making his breakthrough at Juventus.

Yildiz would be Tottenham’s record signing at £88m, but there is every indication he could be an exciting long-term addition to Thomas Frank’s squad.

Spain Manager Vicente Del Bosque has compared  Newcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye favourably to Xavi Hernandez.

The former Lille ace has seen a dramatic increase in his form and reputation since his £4.6 million move to the Tyne-side  club at the beginning of the last season, but the Spanish manager believes he is now France’s best player.

Spain are due to take on France tonight in a World Cup qualifying game in Madrid in a game which will definitely set the tone for who will be group favourites from now to the end of the  group fixtures.

The  Ex Real Madrid boss is all too aware of how crucial it is to win the midfield battle but was not quick to lose sight of the Toon player’s star quality.

In his press conference yesterday Del Bosque went on to state “He is probably the most talented player the France have in their midfield”.

He further went on to praise Cabaye adding “He takes set pieces, he controls the game.

He is a bit like their Xavi”.

Newcastle fans certainly hope they have a ‘French Xavi’ on their books but for now will settle for the midfielder escaping the fixture unscathed.

The French playmaker had suffered a stomach injury in training last week prior to France’s 1-0 friendly loss to Japan.

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But it is believed the player has recovered fully to take his place in the starting line-up for tonight’s international clash with Spain.

Cabaye is set to next feature domestically this Sunday in the Tyne-Wear Derby in a 13.30 kick off in front of the Sky cameras.

Well there we go, the day we’ve all been waiting for is now gone, with Chelsea and Swansea having played the final game of the opening day of the Premier League season. It was expected that Jose Mourinho’s side would claim all three points – they always do – in their first match, but a 90 minutes of thrills and spills in west London saw Swansea take a point back to South Wales – no more than their performance deserved. Oscar opened the scoring with a cross/shot free-kick before Andre Ayew levelled. Willian then got lucky as his effort looped in, but controversy struck in the second half as Thibaut Courtois was sent off for bringing down Bafetimbi Gomis – who then netted from the spot.

And while the football on the pitch was attracting plenty of attention, there were plenty of fails, funny moments and bizarre incidents to get us all talking on Twitter. So sit back, grab some popcorn and have a good ol’ laugh at the less then fortunate people. We have a whole season of this to look forward to!

Times must be hard for Roman…

New season, new Redknapp?

Courtois suspended… Chelsea fans must be missing Cech now!

Diego Costa or Lego man? Who knows…

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What’s Harry Kane doing…

Newcastle fans in the Transfer Tavern are loving the 2018 World Cup in Russia and are delighted to see some new faces arrive at St. James Park.

Mikel Merino and Martin Dubravka both completed permanent moves to Tyneside earlier in the window after impressing on loan last season. Rafael Benitez also completed a free transfer for Ki Sung-Yueng after he left Swansea following their relegation. While these moves are smart, the Magpies need a marquee signing to fire them to Europe.

Benitez guided his side to 10th last season, and our punters are confident on improving next year with a few key signings. The Spaniard would be wise to raid his former club Liverpool where there is set to be a considerable squad overhaul. One man who could fall victim to Jurgen Klopp’s changes is Adam Lallana.

Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the England international was plagued with injuries last season, restricting him to just one start in the Premier League. With the arrivals of Naby Keita and Fabinho adding competition in the Liverpool midfield, it’s hard to see Lallana guaranteeing himself as a place in the first-team, especially if the Reds revive their interest in Nabil Fekir. This could mean Lallana finds himself heading through the exit door.

The former Southampton playmaker would be an excellent signing for Newcastle. The 30-year-old is ridiculously skilful and confident using either foot making him a nightmare for defenders. Lallana would fit right into the Newcastle side as the number 10 they have been crying out for but can also play out wide or deep in the midfield. With a high work-rate, he would be a massive hit with the Newcastle faithful.

Offering first-team football and the chance to work with Benitez could prove vital in winning the race for his signature.

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Newcastle fans, thoughts?

Sussex were in trouble at the end of the second day closing at 112 forfive in reply to Glamorgan’s mammoth first innings total of 718 forthree declared. Sussex made a poor start losing their first wicketsinside the first five overs for 11 runs. There was a brief revivalwith a stand of 66 between Chris Adams and Richard Montgomerie (23)before the latter was out caught behind by Maynard of Dean Cosker.Sussex lost a further two wickets when Robert Croft took a brilliantcatch at first slip to dismiss Will House and Robin Martin-Jenkinsfell to a reckless hook shot. But Adams, playing a lone hand, made ahalf century for Sussex and remained unbeaten on 55 at close of play.Earlier Glamorgan’s Steve James made an unbeaten 309, the first triplehundred by a Glamorgan batsman and erased the 61-year-old record heldby Emrys Davies (287) against Gloucestershire at Newport in 1939. Histriple century was made of 440 balls in 602 minutes which included 41hits to the fence. His lone chance was on 285. There were a fewmilestones during the course of the innings. First, James helped theWelsh county to post a record total of 718 – the county’s highest inthe championship since they were admitted in 1921. And when Jamescompleted his 200, he also became the first batsman to score fivedouble hundreds for the county.James shared a few partnerships during the course of his unbeateninnings of character and concentration. He shared a record firstwicket partnership of 374 with Mathew Elliot (177), then a secondwicket partnership of 123 with Mike Powell (64), a stand of 134 withMathew Maynard (67, three 4s, five 6s) for the third wicket andfinally an unbeaten 87-run partnership with Dale for the fourthwicket.At the end of the day, talking to the media, a relaxed and satisfiedJames said “It was a great honour to pass the best Glamorgan scoreever made. I did not think about it when I continued my innings thismorning. I treated every ball on its merits and did not think aboutthe milestones because the next ball could have got me.”James added “I was only tense when I reached 287 (set by the lateDavies) and was pleased to get that single to pass his score. But thenI never thought too much about reaching 300 until it came along. I nowfeel very tired but very relieved.”

Jason Kerr is leaving Somerset, and is expected to sign for another county before the start of the 2002 season.Earlier today Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me, “Jason Kerr’s contract has been resolved by mutual consent and he can now leave the county. He has aspirations to play regular first team cricket which we couldn’t offer to him here.”Twenty seven year old Jason who originates from Bolton,played for Lancashire Second Eleven in 1991 before moving to Taunton for the 1992 season. He went on the England Under 19’s tour to India 1992-3, and made his first team debut against the Australians in 1993. In that match he took 3 for 77, which included the wickets of Daniel Boon and Michael Slater.Since his debut Jason Kerr has played in over fifty first class games for the Cidermen and taken over one hundred wickets, his best return being 7 for 23 against Leicestershire at The County Ground in 1999.He has also scored over 1200 first class runs, including five scores in excess of fifty, with a career best of 80 against the West Indies in 1995.Earlier this season Jason was awarded his county cap, but was unable to command a regular first team place in 2001. At the end of the season he was offered a further one year contact by Somerset.Peter Anderson concluded, “Jason has been with the club ten years during which time he has suffered a number of injuries and this has affected his ability to develop, but on his day as many will have seen he was an exciting cricketer.”

File photo – Akeem Dodson struck a run-a-ball 31 after effecting a record six dismissals behind the wicket•Peter Della Penna

A day after wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson questioned the motivation of the USA players, they turned in a strong performance to bundle Jersey for 87 for their first win of the tournament in Bready. Dodson himself set an example, effecting six dismissals behind the wicket, a record for any T20 involving international teams.The win, however, was set up by left-arm pacer Naseer Jamali and right-arm pacer Hammad Shahid who picked up three wickets each. Jamali punched the early holes, reducing Jersey to 36 for 4 in 6.1 overs before Shahid dismantled the middle order. Timil Patil then wrapped up the tail as Jersey folded for 87 inside 18 overs. Besides Anthony Kay and Charles Perchard who made identical scores of 18 off 17 balls, Ben Stevens was the only other batsman to manage double-figures.Fahad Babar and Dodson added 60 for the opening partnership to give USA a bright start in their chase. However, the wicket of Dodson sparked a wobble as USA lost four wickets in a space of 10 runs and two overs. Nicholas Standford then became Nat Watkins’ third victim but the Patels – Mrunal and Timil – got their side over the line with 26 balls to spare.

The future of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club looks uncertain after a request to the ECB for emergency financial help and an examination of the benefits of selling their ground and moving to an out-of-town location.The club, who have already borrowed several hundred thousand pounds from a group of directors earlier this year, have been instructed by the ECB to undergo an independent financial review to ascertain whether they fill the criteria for borrowing. It is believed they require around £500,000 to meet urgent financial obligations.The ECB has assisted counties in the past but with a full-scale review of the professional game in progress, it cannot be assumed that further largesse will automatically be forthcoming.Whether Northants seek to move headquarters or even become the first of the first-class clubs to dissolve remains to be seen. Increasingly, though, the current arrangement appears unsustainable.Northants declared a loss of £305,636 last year and are forecasting another heavy loss for 2015. They have already accepted that their prize asset, the England one-day allrounder David Willey, is likely to leave the club at the end of the season – Willey is contracted until the end of 2016 but had a verbal agreement allowing him to leave if he wished – and are looking at other cost-saving measures. The player wage bill is certain to be reduced.Former club captain Stephen Peters, Scotland international Kyle Coetzer, fast bowler Maurice Chambers and David Murphy are all expected to leave at the end of the season, while younger players such as Ben Duckett, the former England U19 captain, and Rob Keogh, who is the subject of interest from Essex, could also depart.The deeper concern is that this time of year, with T20 revenues secured, should be easier in terms of cash flow. Most clubs suffer more in the autumn when income streams dry up and bills have to be paid.Northants have previously borrowed from Northamptonshire County Council to redevelop their ground and to maximise potential revenue from T20 cricket.They were scheduled to repay the money from ECB receipts, but that income has been damaged by the international retirement of Graeme Swann and the non-selection of Monty Panesar. In the past, Northants have received performance-related payments (worth over £100,000 a year for Swann) as the ‘developing club’ of the two spinners.Financial pressures have encouraged an examination of whether Northants should abandon their ground, situated close to the centre of Northampton, and move to a spot further out of town.Indeed, ESPNcricinfo understands that the club have invested in a research project to identify a potential new location for the ground and, with the local council’s help, are considering a patch at Sixfields near Northampton Town’s stadium.The cricket and football clubs used to play on adjoining grounds until the football club upped sticks in 1994. Northants members would need to sanction such a move.The club bought the freehold on their Wantage Road ground in May 2012 and had the site valued, in its current condition, at around £4.5m. With planning permission, it could be worth more than £10m. The club’s chairman, Gavin Warren, is also a director of a Bleu Star Land and Property Ltd; a company whose tag line is: “unlock the full potential of your assets.”The club state there is a covenant on their ground which makes it impossible to obtain planning permission. They also claim they have not applied for an emergency loan from the ECB. Both these claims are disputed by club insiders and sources at the ECB.Underlining the impression that club is ailing, ESPNcricinfo also understands that Northants was reported to the ECB for failing to have lunch prepared for players and officials during the Championship match against Derbyshire. The chief executive, Ray Payne, is also not a full-time presence at the ground.In the shorter term, the County Tavern, the pub owned by the club, could also be sold. It has been listed for sale before – and valued at around £550,000 – but withdrawn before completion. However, if the directors’ loans have been taken against the value of the pub, the sale of it may not benefit Northants CCC. Such matters will be scrutinised by the independent financial review before any loan is approved.

ScorecardTom Abell recorded his maiden first-class hundred•Getty Images

The loveliest event of this day’s cricket was one which Somerset supporters knew would occur at some time but which they feared they would not witness. At noon Tom Abell drove Mason Crane through the covers for three runs. His score went from 99 to 102 and he thereby reached his maiden first-class century.The first person to congratulate Abell – indeed, an enveloping hug was deemed appropriate – was his opening partner, Marcus Trescothick, who had scored the 57th century of his first-class career only ten minutes previously. Abell was three months old when Trescothick notched his own first hundred against Surrey at Bath in 1994. The pair eventually put on 272 against Hampshire, one short of the first-wicket record for matches between the counties, and Tom Cooper later became the third Somerset centurion. By the close the home side’s lead over Hampshire had been extended to 329 on what seems a flat pitch, although Dawson’s three late wickets suggested it was beginning to turn.

‘Loudest celebration I’ve ever heard’

Marcus Trescothick: “I felt a bit like I was the warm up act today, just to get a hundred before so the crowd could say well played to me. Then when Tom got his century the noise was the biggest celebration I have heard for a hundred. He has worked hard all season and has got into a good position and we have been bowled out leaving him not out, but this time you could hear the pleasure in everybody’s voices and the pleasure they were feeling. I could hear the noise from the changing room and it was the loudest I have ever heard it and it was a real nice moment.
“I think we are building a formidable partnership, working together a lot more and you just get used to how each other operates. I try to give him as much knowledge and help as much as I can do but he looks after himself. If he plays in the fashion he has today then he doesn’t need a great deal of telling what to do. He works it out for himself and goes ahead and does it.
“It’s delightful to see because not only is he playing so well you get the next generation of the team coming through combining with the Overtons and Lewis Gregory and others like that. To see the next generation succeeding gives you great pride in the knowledge that you are going to leave the club in good hands.
“I played well and really enjoyed batting out there. We needed a good partnership to get ourselves going and try to get ahead of the game. The position we are in now having bowled them out for 240 was a great achievement and then to bat as long as we can is what we have achieved and something we set out to do from the start. It hasn’t been the easiest of seasons and last week was probably the toughest game so far so to bounce back and get ourselves into the position we are now is great but there is still a lot of work to do.”
Tom Abell: “It’s been a little while coming, but I’m absolutely delighted, relieved and pretty ecstatic to get my first one. It was a special feeling when I managed to get past the hundred mark, because there have been a few times where I haven’t quite managed to do it.
“It’s always nice when you hear those sorts of things on the Tannoy – and hopefully there are a few more landmarks around the corner. I think one of the things that has contributed to that desperation, I guess, to get the three figures is that, quite a few times, I’ve got in and made a fifty but then got out. So it’s pleasing to go on and make a significant contribution and help to get ourselves ahead of the game.”

The sporting press may say that Hampshire’s bowlers stuck to their task in difficult circumstances and such a judgement will be true enough. But when three of the four batsmen you dismiss have scored hundreds, it is very clear what sort of a day it has been. James Hildreth’s fine 71 was little but a footnote to the play. Hampshire’s batsmen got their side into this mess and they will have to get them out of it. Otherwise, James Vince’s side will become warm favourites for relegation ahead of the visit of the pitiless Yorkshiremen next week.Yet for all that Cooper’s first hundred for Somerset received the crowd’s applause – and the ECB may care to note that yet another four-day game has been very well attended – it was the 21-year-old Abell and his partnership with Trescothick that commanded the warmest ovations. Abell was born in Taunton and attended Taunton School. He also played, and occasionally still plays, his club cricket for Taunton, so you could call him a local lad. One imagines that his three-year course at Exeter University was an awfully big adventure. The Taunton crowd rose to him because he is one of their own and that will always matter to county cricket supporters.For his part, Keynsham-born Trescothick is loved beyond reason or measure on this ground. He is a steadfast cricketer who, rather than retiring when his England days were done, returned to county cricket and still derives deep joy from it. He has faced down tougher enemies than fast bowlers. His happiness at reaching his century was obvious and, for all his 39 years, rather boyish. His disappointment when he lost his leg stump to Fidel Edwards when he had made 153 was plain as well. Trescothick has just signed a new one-year contract simply because he wants to play professional cricket for Somerset as long as he can.Trescothick’s batting is characterised by his clattering pulls to square leg or his fearsome cover drives; Abell’s by his classical correctness, the quiet perfection of his strokes and the time he has to play them. You would pay to watch him drive off the back foot. Jack Brooks twice had him caught in the slips at Headingley last week but there is no shame in that. Hampshire’s bowlers could not deal with Abell until Gareth Berg had him leg before on the back foot for 131 half an hour after lunch. Then the crowd stood to him again and he waved back to them, which was also good to see.And indeed, they stood and applauded in all the pavilions on this ground, for Taunton is well-endowed in such structures. There is a Colin Atkinson pavilion, an Ondaatje pavilion and an Andy Caddick pavilion. In the winter they knocked the much-loved Old Pavilion down and have replaced it with a viewing area, a stand reserved for subscribers of some sort and a media centre. They have named the new building….the Somerset Pavilion. It rather reminds one of Robert Grant’s 1833 hymn “O worship the King” which contains the phrase “pavilioned in splendour”, itself taken as the title of a fine cricket book by A A Thomson.On a less-exalted level Somerset’s pavophilia recalls a famous routine of the magician and comedian Tommy Cooper whereby he performed the trick of placing a cylinder over a wine bottle and making the bottle disappear. Before long everything would go “wrong” and there would be wine bottles appearing from cylinders all over the table while Cooper, himself, acted increasingly manic. It now seems that all Somerset need to do these days is throw up some scaffolding and a pavilion will appear. It is very like them.For Hampshire’s supporters this was a day on which they needed to show unquestioning loyalty; for Somerset’s, it was a Thursday, the memory of which they will treasure when the rain clouds roll down the Quantocks and into the Somerset combes like gun-smoke. But Tom Abell is not yet the answer to any vacancy that might occur in England squads. He is a talented young man learning how to play professional cricket.These, indeed, are Abell’s “lamb white days” and he has a right to remain “young and easy under the apple boughs” a while longer. Experience and responsibility will come soon enough. Abell has not even played at Lord’s, The Oval or Old Trafford yet, but he will surely do so. And as the leaves grow crisp upon the trees in the sharp, brittle light of early autumn, it was almost a reassurance to watch a batsman who, granted only a modicum of fortune, has years of cricket before him. We will remember this blue-domed day when Taunton was pavilioned in splendour and Tom was girded with praise.

The PCB’s headquarters over the years

72 Garden Road, Karachi – May 1948
29 Queens Road, Karachi – May 1954
Station Commander’s Office, PAF, Drig Road Karachi – July 1954
National Stadium Karachi – December 1955
Government Secretariat, Chaklala – January 1965
GHQ Rawalpindi – March 1965
Army Stadium, Karachi – September 1971
Gaddafi Stadium Lahore – June 1972
Hockey Club of Pakistan, Karachi – February 1980
Gaddafi Stadium Lahore – February 1984

A resolution to shift the PCB’s headquarters from Lahore to Islamabad has been moved in the senate – the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament. The resolution was moved by senator Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel, who recommended that the PCB is a “symbol of State” and so it should be in Islamabad – the capital of Pakistan.”The House recommends that in order to remove sense of deprivation from smaller provinces, the Pakistan Cricket Board office may be shifted from Lahore to Islamabad so that a strengthened federation becomes certain. Otherwise the Pakistan Cricket Board offices may be established in other provinces also, offering an opportunity to each of them to represent, for a three months period, on turn basis,” the resolution said.Musakhel said that the PCB has 5,000 posts, all filled by Lahoris with no representation from other parts of the country. He demanded that the entire set-up be moved to Islamabad. However, according to an investigation, the PCB is presently being run by 530 employees, including contractual and full-time employees, from different parts of country, with many top-tier posts filled by Sindh representatives. District and regional staff, meanwhile, are picked from the local region to run the day-to-day affairs.There was debate carried on for hours in the senate, with opinion divided, until the leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan gave his observations, which were taken positively. He said the opinion at house was divided and there are many implications of shifting the cricket board to Islamabad, so the matter should be passed on to the senate’s devolution committee for further debate.The chairman of the senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, subsequently referred the matter senate’s 14-man functional committee on devolution for further perusal and debate. Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo heads the committee, which includes two members – senators Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar and Mohsin Aziz – who endorsed the resolution. Senator Farhatullah Babar, who is not on the committee, also endorsed the resolution. Senators who opposed the resolution included Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini, Nauman Wazir Khattak, Muhammad Javed Abbasi and Mushahid Ullah Khan, who said the issue was very “sensitive”.Muhammad Javed Abbasi said: “It would be great if my friend [the resolution mover] talked about merits [of it], and the performance should be the centre of discussion. He should have pointed out if there is any inefficiency in Punjab. It not like the previous government has made the headquarter in Lahore, it has been there for decades and has lengthy history.”Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani said: “A lot of discussion has been made here by the resolution mover and I think the subject matter should not be a viewed in isolation. It involves conceptual thoughts and a collective conceptual decision should be taken by all the concerned stakeholders – federation, provinces and the body itself. It would, I believe, serve the cause of federalism in Pakistan if this collective decision is taken and I find no better committee than functional committee of the senate on devolution to look into this matter.”The PCB, formally known as Board of Cricket Control in Pakistan (BCCP), was formed in May 1948 but was recognised at the international level from 1952. In early years, there was no real office for the PCB to function out of. All the paperwork and documents were stored in a trunk. Until 1972, the headquarters was in Karachi, mainly because Karachi was capital city and had a well-developed stadium by 1954-55. Later it was moved to Lahore when Pakistan’s first official captain, Abdul Hafeez Kardar, became president and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power and ample money was invested to build an office at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, a comparatively a lavish and fully developed building within a Test cricket centre.