£82m trio sign: West Ham’s potential starting XI after the transfer window

West Ham United have entered a new era, with Julen Lopetegui anointed as the London Stadium's new manager and tasked with taking a talented squad and lifting them back into European competition.

Having risen from 14th in 2022/23 to ninth during David Moyes' final year, despite selling Declan Rice to Arsenal, the Hammers showcased their quality but, ultimately, ran out of steam, and a change in managerial structure could provide the club with the clean slate needed to attack the upper end of the Premier League with renewed vigour.

West Ham: Opening PL Fixtures 24/25

Matchweek

Fixture

Venue

1.

Aston Villa

London Stadium

2.

Crystal Palace

Selhurst Park

3.

Manchester City

Etihad Stadium

4.

Fulham

Craven Cottage

5.

Chelsea

London Stadium

Lopetegui has been hard at work, with United signing 18-year-old winger Luis Guilherme for £25.5m and working on several more deals. Mohammed Kudus, who has an £85m release clause in his contract, is eyeing a move away, while a brooding cloud remains sheeted over Lucas Paqueta's footballing future.

Still, Tim Steidten and Co will be working feverishly toward adding the perfect signings to the squad. Let's take a look at how Lopetegui's squad could look come September.

West-Ham-Dream-Lineup

1

GK – Alphonse Areola

West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Alphonse Areola will hope to keep his place between the sticks for West Ham.

The 31-year-old played second fiddle to Lucasz Fabianski through his first two Premier League campaigns in east London, but featured prominently last year, starting 31 matches.

Premier League 23/24: Goalkeeper Stats

Rank

Player

Matches played

Save percentage

1.

Andre Onana

38

74.9%

2.

Alphonse Areola

31

74.5%

3.

Jordan Pickford

38

73.9%

4.

Alisson Becker

28

73.4%

5.

Jose Sa

35

73.4%

Stats via FBref

One of the sharpest shot-stoppers last term, he could prove to be an invaluable figure under Lopetegui as the West Ham defence transitions.

2

RB – Vladimir Coufal

West Ham defender Vladimir Coufal.

Ben Johnson is closing on a move to Ipswich Town and Vladimir Coufal is nearly 32. The latter will expect to play a big role next season but expect Lopetegui to assess his options at right-back.

Still, Coufal's reliability and dynamism have established him as one of West Ham's most underrated transfers in recent years, playing 155 matches, placing 20 assists, winning a European trophy. All for the not-so-steep price of £5m.

3

CB – Jacob Greaves

Jacob Greaves in action for Hull City in the Championship.

Konstantinos Mavropanos has his strengths but if Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are both to depart the club as anticipated this summer, high-quality replacements must be brought in.

And according to Football Insider, Hull City centre-back Jacob Greaves could be headed to the capital. The 23-year-old – who is valued at around £20m – has enjoyed an excellent campaign in the Championship and boasts the modern ball-playing style to succeed within Lopetegui's system.

As per FBref, Greaves ranked among the top 8% of centre-backs during the 2023/24 Championship season for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 10% for passes attempted and the top 4% for aerial duels won per 90.

4

CB – Max Kilman

Wolves captain Max Kilman

Will he, won't he? West Ham are pushing to sign Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Valued at £45m, the left-sided defender starred during Lopetegui's tenure at Molineux and would be the perfect replacement for Aguerd, averaging 4.7 ball recoveries and 4.7 clearances per game in the league last year and winning a whopping 71% of his aerial battles.

The Wolves captain – who didn't miss a minute in the English top flight last year – would grow into an important and influential role for the Hammers.

5

LB – Emerson Palmieri

Emerson West Ham

No full-back made more tackles than Emerson Palmieri's 106 in the Premier League last season. The Italian has been a dependable member of the Irons squad.

Iron, indeed, is Emerson's watchword, and he will be tasked with adding balance and mettle to a new-look backline.

6

DM – Edson Alvarez

Edson Alvarez for West Ham

Manchester United are interested in signing Edson Alvarez this summer, though Lopetegui is unlikely to sanction the tough-tackling Mexican's sale.

As The Athletic's Roshane Thomas puts it, he was the main man during his first term in east London claret, the steely, metronomic presence. He must remain at the London Stadium.

7

CM – Tomas Soucek

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek

What a stalwart. Tomas Soucek is an industrious and tenacious member of the West Ham midfield, important for inculcating balance into the team.

Last year, the Czech star scored ten goals from 52 appearances. The 6 foot 3 midfielder is imposing and committed and he will be crucial, whether he ends up cementing a regular starting berth under Lopetegui or not.

8

CM – James Ward-Prowse

James Ward-Prowse for West Ham

Signed from Southampton for £30m, West Ham have made good use of James Ward-Prowse's talents, with the midfielder scoring seven goals and adding 11 assists across all competitions.

In the Premier League, as per Sofascore, he completed 90% of his passes and averaged 1.7 key passes per game. He will be the playmaking linchpin in Paqueta's absence, centrally at least.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

West Ham star Jarrod Bowen

Guilherme brings prodigious talent to the Premier League, flicks and tricks that will serve West Ham well over the coming years, but he's not going to take Jarrod Bowen's place on the attacking right flank.

West Ham Top Scorers 23/24

Rank

Player

Apps

Goals

1.

Jarrod Bowen

44

20

2.

Mohammed Kudus

45

14

3.

Tomas Soucek

52

10

4.

Lucas Paqueta

43

8

5.

Michail Antonio

32

7

5.

James Ward-Prowse

51

7

Stats via BBC Sport

The Three Lions star's 20-goal haul was his personal best in an Irons shirt and provided English football with another illustration into the skill set of a first-rate forward.

Lopetegui will seek to stamp more possession and more attacking intent into his side and Bowen will be the architect on the field, shooting on goal himself and playing quick exchanges with the man in the middle.

10

LW – Crysencio Summerville

Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville

With Kudus likely to leave and Paqueta's future uncertain, securing a talented new winger is paramount for Lopetegui and West Ham. Crysencio Summerville, the 2023/24 Championship Player of the Year, could be that man.

According to reports relayed by Claret and Hugh, the 22-year-old Dutchman is attracting his fair share of Premier League attention after scoring 20 goals and supplying nine assists as Leeds United finished third and narrowly missed out on promotion.

He could be the catalyst in attack for Lopetegui, praised for his "relentless" running by analyst Ben Mattinson to complement his sharp attacking abilitiy.

FFP solution: Newcastle must sell a star who earns 8x more than Hall

Newcastle United's injury troubles during the 2023/24 are well known, with Eddie Howe's side hit with multiple long-term absentees, subsequently missing out on any form of European football for next season.

Players such as Sven Botman and Nick Pope missed large spells of the last campaign with various issues, with Howe’s defence massively suffering as a result of their respective absences.

However, the attacking department was just as affected, with Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron both suffering their own fitness issues, restricting their minutes on the pitch.

The latter saw a drop in performance when he returned to action, failing to score a single goal in the Premier League for the Magpies in 2024, and unable to get anywhere near his tally of 11 goals from the season prior.

As a result, Howe must look to offload the Paraguayan this summer, with the club willing to part ways with the former Atlanta United attacker.

Miguel Almiron could be set to leave Newcastle this summer

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Almiron's future at Newcastle remains unclear ahead of the transfer window which opens over the coming days.

The Magpies reportedly agreed to sell Almiron to Saudi Arabian side Al Shabab during the January window, but Howe decided to keep hold of the attacker, with the 30-year-old potentially one step closer to the exit this time around.

However, the transfer guru confirmed that Newcastle are open to parting ways with the Paraguayan during the off-season, with the club needing to raise funds to avoid any form of punishment for breaking the Premier League’s FFP rules.

Almiron's PL stats during 2023/24

Statistics

Tally

Games

33

Minutes played

1,947

Goals

3

Assists

1

Minutes per goal or assist

486

Stats via Transfermarkt

When delving into his weekly earnings on Tyneside, it’s no surprise that Howe and Co are willing to offload the attacker, with his wages massively more than one player who has impressed during the closing stages of 2023/24.

How much Miguel Almiron earns at Newcastle

Over the last couple of years under the Saudi PIF, the club have been able to hand out more lucrative contracts to the playing squad, allowing them to attract numerous top-quality players.

Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes are just two examples, with the pair, who earn £120k-per-week and £160k-per-week respectively, as per Capology, both arriving at the club, transforming Howe’s side and pushing them back towards European football.

Almiron was another beneficiary, earning a reported £60k-per-week on Tyneside, with the forward taking home just over £3.1m per season at St James’ Park.

His subsequent weekly earnings see him pocket eight times more than £28m signing Lewis Hall, who only earns £7k-per-week despite his excellent end to the season, which saw him score his first Premier League goal in the 3-2 defeat against Manchester United.

Given Almiron’s recent injury troubles and lack of impact when called upon, Howe should look to offload him upon the opening of the transfer window, with this summer potentially the last chance to make a profit on the £20m they paid for him over five years ago.

His wage and any fee generated would go a long way towards the club’s battle to avoid an FFP punishment, with the club still in danger of a breach should they splash the cash once more this summer.

Another Toney situation: Newcastle could sell ace with "Vinicius quality"

Newcastle may have to part ways with a superb talent to avoid FFP issues.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 13, 2024

Em grande momento no Remo, Felipe Gedoz espera grande segundo semestre no clube

MatériaMais Notícias

Destaque do Remo, o meia Felipe Gedoz, ex-Athletico, Goiás, Vitória e Club Brugge, da Bélgica, escolhido melhor atleta da posição no primeiro turno da Série B, falou sobre a importância de manter essa intensidade no segundo semestre. Segundo o jogador, sua ideia é crescer ainda mais em 2021.

Veja as contas atualizadas para título, G6 e rebaixamento no Brasileirão

– O primeiro semestre, individualmente, foi muito bom para mim. Trabalhei muito para ter um nível alto com a camisa do Remo. Vou continuar me dedicando ao máximo para evoluir ainda mais na temporada. – afirmou.

VEJA TABELA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO REMO NA SÉRIE B

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Gedoz ainda falou sobre o desejo de ver a equipe crescendo na tabela de classificação da segunda divisão.

– Vamos lutar muito para que o segundo turno seja de vitórias e para que o grupo possa melhorar sua posição na tabela de classificação da disputa. – concluiu.

Jordan Henderson 'would welcome' return to former club as Ajax midfielder tipped to make surprise move back to England

Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson is reportedly open to returning to England just a year after leaving Liverpool.

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  • Henderson endured miserable Saudi spell
  • Now playing for Ajax in Eredivisie
  • Midfielder linked with England return
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    Earlier this month it was reported that the 34-year-old had attracted interest from English clubs as his minutes at Ajax started to dwindle. Henderson, who signed for the Dutch club in January, has started just twice in the Eredivisie this season, and his lack of involvement has caught the eye of Premier League and Championship clubs.

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    Henderson has endured a rocky time of things since leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2023. He would later come to call his decision to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq a "mistake" as he came under fire for chasing the money, and he's now struggling to get minutes in an Ajax side that isn't pulling up trees in the Netherlands.

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    A return to familiar surroundings would presumably suit the former England midfielder, and Football Insider claim Championship side Sunderland are working on a deal to sign him in the January window. Their report adds that Henderson "would welcome" a return to his boyhood club, who he played for before joining Liverpool in 2011. The Black Cats are currently top of the Championship and have their sights firmly set on reaching the Premier League.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR HENDERSON?

    A Sunderland switch seems to suit all parties, but there are concerns that tax issues could block Henderson from moving back to England. He'll be gearing up for Ajax's trip to Heracles this weekend in the meantime.

Man City players' agents 'exploring their options' amid threat of relegation as Premier League champions' legal battle over 115 FFP charges begins

Manchester City's fight against their 115 charges has reportedly prompted players' agents to seek options amid the threat of relegation.

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Man City began defence against 115 chargesPlayers keep options open in case of relegationAgents in touch with club to figure out optionsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱IMAGOWHAT HAPPENED?

Manchester City have begun the battle against their 115 charges of alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, with certain charges ranging back over a decade ago. As such, a number of key officials and publications have suggested that Pep Guardiola's side could face relegation if found guilty.

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The Daily Mail has now reported that Manchester City's players' agents are keeping their options open regarding the future of their clients in case the eight-time Premier League champions lose their top-flight status. The report has suggested that agents are open to holding discussions with City to 'hear the club's plans and be informed of the options open to them if the worst-case scenario occurs', with their intention being to understand every eventuality to ensure their players are protected.

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Manchester City have maintained their 'not guilty' stance since the charges were brought upon them over a year ago. However, they will now have to contest against the same charges in court to make sure they avoid a bleak future that could see them lose key figures like Pep Guardiola, Erling Haaland and many more.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

Guardiola's men remain strong in the Premier League as they lead the standings. However, they will also eagerly keep an eye on the court proceedings as players will want to know what the future holds.

England surge to 113-run victory as Ben Stokes turns on the style again

England square the series thanks to final-day team effort, led by star allrounder

The Report by Valkerie Baynes20-Jul-2020Ben Stokes, match winner, series saviour. That was the bottom line as England kept alive their quest for the Wisden Trophy with victory in the second Test to level their series against West Indies 1-1.The hosts’ 113-run triumph was built on a towering performance with bat and ball from Stokes and means both teams start the third and final Test, also at Emirates Old Trafford, on Friday with it all to play for.Stokes’ contrasting innings helped England into a commanding position and his ability to break up key partnerships not only helped his side take 19 wickets over the last two days, having lost the entire third day to rain, but destroyed West Indies’ chances of holding out for a draw, which would have seen them retain the trophy.Stokes left many wondering, is there anything he can’t do? But there was more than just his contribution to like about this England performance.To leave out three frontline bowlers in Jofra Archer, James Anderson and Mark Wood and replace them to great effect with Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran speaks to a strength in depth that will prove especially important this summer as six Test are shoe-horned into seven weeks.Broad’s fourth-day spell, when he took 3 for 1 in 14 balls during West Indies’ first innings, sent a clear message after he was overlooked for the first Test but, more importantly, it removed three recognised batsmen in quick succession when England needed time and wickets.Woakes also took three wickets in West Indies’ first innings and he and Broad combined brilliantly with the new ball to put the tourists in trouble early in their second.Meanwhile, Dom Sibley, a young player scoring the second century of a Test career that is only eight matches old, did little to advertise the excitement the game can offer but did everything in his power to give England control in their first innings. His 372-ball 120 showed a maturity to stick to his way and not be pressured into forcing something to happen.Then there was Stokes. His first innings of 176, which came from 356 balls, surprised even himself in terms of its longevity. It also pushed the England innings on where Sibley couldn’t.Then, when England needed quick runs to shore up their position before giving themselves enough time to bowl West Indies out, it was a case of “will the real Ben Stokes please stand up?” and there he was.Having been sent in to open for the first time in a Test on the penultimate evening and resuming on 16 the following morning, Stokes helped himself to an unbeaten 78 from 57 balls. He shared a 73-run partnership with Joe Root and was instrumental as England added 92 runs from 11 overs in the first hour before their declaration set West Indies a target of 312.Ben Stokes launches one down the ground•Getty ImagesThe first over of the day, from Kemar Roach, went for 14 runs, 13 of them to Stokes, including a four followed immediately by a towering six over long-off. Stokes was dropped on 29 by John Campbell at deep extra cover off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel in one of the more damaging West Indies fielding blunders, of which there were a handful.The declaration also gave England 85 overs in which to bowl West Indies out and time to access the second new ball, available after 80 overs. In the end, it wasn’t needed as West Indies were bowled out inside 71 overs.By lunch on the final day, Broad and Woakes had West Indies 25 for 3. The first wicket, Campbell caught behind off Broad in the first over of the innings, almost wasn’t recorded. Beaten outside off stump, Campbell attempted a loose drive which was collected by Jos Buttler, who showed no reaction whatsoever. As Broad appealed, Root looked as un-moved as the umpire, but he signalled for a review with barely half a second to spare and Ultra-Edge showed a clear spike to overturn the not-out decision.Broad had suggested the night before that Kraigg Brathwaite’s would be a vital wicket and Woakes delivered it, lbw. Broad then cut down Shai Hope with a beauty that jagged in off the seam between bat and pad to clatter into the top of off stump.Broad struck again in the fourth over after lunch when he had Roston Chase out lbw and it looked as though Woakes could have had the threatening Shamarh Brooks caught behind for 17 when the batsman fended to Buttler but was given not out and England opted not to review with replays later suggesting the batsman may have gloved the ball.Brooks and Jermaine Blackwood set to work, building a 100-run partnership that had the potential for subborn-ness, albeit with a lot of overs to see out, until that man Stokes reappeared.ALSO READ: As it happened – Live Report from the final day at Old TraffordStokes even tried to chase down a Blackwood four struck off his own bowling when the batsman found a gaping hole at mid-off. And while Stokes’ effort was in vain that time, he had more to offer with when his short ball, aimed at Blackwood’s ribs, struck the glove and ballooned to Buttler, who took a good diving catch.Blackwood was gone for 55 and Stokes had ended another solid union, just as he had done in West Indies’ first innings when he removed Brathwaite with a caught-and-bowled that broke a 76-run partnership with Brooks.Brooks backed up his first-innings 68 with 62 in the second as Woakes dismissed Shane Dowrich, who made a pair. But when Curran had Brooks out lbw, it fell to Jason Holder, the West Indies captain and star allrounder, to save his side from defeat.But when the offspin of Dom Bess came to the fore, a gem smashing into middle stump from outside off with Holder on 35 and West Indies still needing 129 runs versus England’s requirement of two wickets, it was only a matter of time – and the hosts had plenty of that – before they claimed victory.Of course, Stokes was in the action almost until the end, dismissing tailender Alzarri Joseph, before Ollie Pope’s spectacular juggled catch at short leg off the bowling of Bess accounted for Roach, the last man out.The only worry for England was the fact that Stokes stopped bowling in the middle of an over in apparent discomfort. Given his star turn in this match, England will be keen to have him fit for the series decider.

Sky pundit praises Paratici after hearing Tottenham could sign £51m star

Ex-Tottenham transfer chief Fabio Paratici, who still advises the club on a consultancy basis, has been praised after news that Spurs are pursuing a £51 million star for Ange Postecoglou.

Paratici role explained as Spurs make summer transfer plans

Paratici's influence at N17 still very much remains, despite his official worldwide ban from football.

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The Italian was responsible for bringing in key players like Destiny Udogie, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur to name a few, thanks to his network of contacts in Serie A. Paratici, though, was forced to resign from his post as managing director last year after being slapped with his ban courtesy of FIFA – thanks to his alleged involvement in financial mispractice whilst at Juventus.

Paratici had his ban partially reduced in 2023, though, meaning he can assist Spurs in a limited capacity. Postecoglou has admitted contact with Paratici as the pair, alongside chairman Daniel Levy and the wider Spurs recruitment team, work on summer transfer planning.

Son Heung-min

7.30

James Maddison

7.15

Manor Solomon

7.05

Pedro Porro

7.03

Cristian Romero

7.01

Tottenham are laying the groundwork to sign a new forward with help from Paratici's contacts, according to reports, and the 51-year-old has also received glowing reports on Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

It is also believed that Spurs are considering a bid for RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo, who commands a price tag of around £51 million if any interested side wish to make a formal move for the Spaniard.

Postecoglou apparently believes Olmo would slot perfectly into his Spurs system, which is testament to Paratici and Tottenham chiefs after they identified him.

Robinson praises Paratici as Tottenham target Olmo

Speaking to Tottenham News, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has praised Paratici as Spurs eye a move for Olmo this summer, claiming the winger is exactly the calibre of player who they should be going for.

“I think he’s a good player and has attracted a lot of Premier League interest. If Tottenham are in for players like that, that can only be a good thing. You can’t question the Spurs recruitment.

“[Fabio] Paratici’s fingerprints are still all over it, looking at the signings of Van de Ven, Vicario, Bentancur, Kulusevski. It’s rare that Spurs go out and pay a big fee for individuals. They did it with Johnson from Nottingham Forest but that wasn’t a huge fee and with Richarlison for the £50million they paid to Everton.

“But actually, if they’re going to be in the bracket of teams challenging to sign Olmo, it’s an improvement. The Champions League is still there. Looking at Spurs’ games, it is very difficult with games against Liverpool, Burnley, Manchester City and Sheffield United.

“They’ve got it all to do, but the Champions League makes a huge difference to the budget for next season. If they’re in for the likes of Olmo, it’s an improvement and they’re in the right market.”

Finishing season in Abu Dhabi 'has to be considered' – Surrey chairman

Richard Thompson says ECB and counties will have to be “creative” in staging fixtures

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2020Surrey chairman Richard Thompson says that the possibility of finishing the county season in the UAE “has to be considered”, after ESPNcricinfo revealed that Abu Dhabi Cricket will offer the ECB its facilities to use between October and January.Abu Dhabi has avoided the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic so far, with infection and death rates low following a strict lockdown, to the extent that much of the UAE could return to work as early as next week.ALSO READ: Abu Dhabi to offer ECB use of facilities in order to extend English seasonThe Sheikh Zayed Stadium – which has previously staged Pakistan internationals, IPL and PSL games, and multiple county pre-season tours – has two support ovals alongside it, creating the possibility that several games could be played in a single day. The ground is broadcast-ready in terms of equipment, and costs could be reduced since it is effectively state-run via a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s programme, Thompson said that stakeholders in English cricket needed to be “creative” in finding ways to stage games, with all professional cricket in England and Wales on hold until at least July 1.”We’re in extraordinary times, and extraordinary times call for extraordinary decisions,” Thompson said. “I don’t know how this will play out, but if that’s a possibility it’s clearly something that’s got to be considered.”Abu Dhabi have made it clear that they could host matches if the season were to be extended. There are some challenges there, because you’ve got the T20 World Cup in Australia and some T20Is and ODIs that England should be playing in India around that time, but Abu Dhabi and Dubai are very well known to English cricket.”A lot of pre-season matches have been played there, a lot of other matches have been played there, so if the season had to be extended, Abu Dhabi I know have made this offer to the game, that if the season needed two months to finish the competitions, then they could potentially host it. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility.”Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, said that there had been “multiple” offers to potentially take English cricket overseas in the coming months.”It’s not limited to Abu Dhabi,” he said. “We’ve had informal offers from multiple boards as far away as New Zealand and Australia about hosting ECB cricket. Everything is on the table. The discussion around the FTP, the T20 World Cup, the IPL… there’s a huge number of moving pieces and our winter is already congested. We don’t have enough knowledge right now but it’s fair to say there will be changes to the FTP.”While the costs of flying squads to the UAE and putting them up in hotels would be significant, counties are used to travelling overseas for pre-season tours – the majority of which were aborted this year due to the pandemic. Surrey travelled to Dubai for pre-season in 2018 and 2019, and were due to return this year.And there is a growing acceptance at the ECB that it will be difficult to stage any cricket in front of paying spectators this summer. The UK’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said this week that it was “wholly unrealistic” to think a return to normal life would be possible any time soon, with some form of social-distancing measures likely to continue beyond the end of the English season and into 2021.”I’d rather [T20 Blast games] were staged in this country purely because of the gate receipts, but then if social distancing exists for another six to 12 months, and if it’s behind closed doors, then frankly it doesn’t matter,” Thompson said.”Broadcasters are crucial to this. No governing body wants to breach an agreement with the broadcasters, so as long as it can deliver the product, it doesn’t matter where it delivers it from.”Obviously there’s a significant cost to ship 18 counties to one location and play a tournament that way, but if that’s the only option – and I would say the Abu Dhabi option would only be looked at if there is no possibility of playing in this country – then you’ve got to be creative.”

ICC suspends Oman's Yousef Abdulrahim Al Balushi for alleged corruption

The ICC’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) has suspended Oman’s Yousef Abdulrahim Al Balushi with immediate effect for allegedly indulging in corrupt practice during the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier, played in the UAE. The ACU filed the charges on Thursday against Al Balushi, who is also know as Yousuf Mahmood, finding him guilty on four counts including match-fixing. Al Balushi has two weeks to respond to the charges.Al Balushi has not been an active player for Oman for a few years after being named among the reserves for the 2016 T20 World Cup. ESPNcricinfo understands Al Balushi, who was not even part of the national squad, was attempting to influence players in the Oman squad during the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier and was stopped by the ACU. It is understood that Al Balushi was allegedly involved with more than one corruptor who was attempting to carry out betting-related activity on the matches in the T20 World Cup Qualifier.Oman, who finished second in Group B, qualified for the first round of the T20 World Cup which will be played later this year in Australia.The ACU has charged Al Balushi for breaching its code on the following four counts:Article 2.1.1: Being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019.Article 2.1.4: Attempting to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or intentionally facilitate a Participant to breach Article 2.1.Article 2.4.4: Failing to report the approaches or invitations that you received from three different individuals to be a party to an agreement or effort to fix matches in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019.Article 2.4.7: Obstructing or delaying an investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code, including by concealing or tampering with information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or lead to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

'It depends on how he plays in IPL' – Ravi Shastri on MS Dhoni winning his place back

The IPL will help firm up India’s World Cup squad that will travel to Australia, says head coach

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2019

Ravi Shastri and MS Dhoni chat during a training session•Associated Press

IPL 2020 is starting to look pretty important for Indian cricket with the head coach Ravi Shastri saying it could help finalise the squad for the T20 World Cup later that year – and whether MS Dhoni would be part of it.Speculation around Dhoni’s future has been endless ever since the 50-over World Cup ended in July. He is 38 years old now and hasn’t played any of India’s matches since that semi-final defeat to New Zealand. Having earlier said he found all the talk about Dhoni’s future “downright disrespectful”, Shastri touched on the subject again in Kolkata after India beat Bangladesh in the day-night Test match.”It all depends on when he starts playing and how he is playing during the IPL,” Shastri told IANS. “What are the other people doing with the wicketkeeping gloves or what is the form of those players as opposed to Dhoni’s form. The IPL becomes a massive tournament because that could be the last tournament after which more or less your 15 is decided.”India have been grooming Rishabh Pant for a while now. He was even released from the Test squad that was playing against Bangladesh to take part in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament earlier this week so that he can stay in limited-overs mode.Since the end of the World Cup, India have played three T20I series and one ODI series and Dhoni has not been a part of any of them. The chief selector MSK Prasad even went so far as to say that they were “moving on” when asked about the Dhoni question in October. However, both the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and Shastri himself have thrown their weight behind absent wicketkeeper-batsman saying he should be the only one who should decide when he wants his career to end.It still hasn’t stopped the speculation around Dhoni, who was seen in practicing at the nets with the Jharkhand team recently. Shastri suggested that with the IPL, which starts in March, set to be the final T20 tournament for India players before the World Cup in October, performances there could help firm up the squad that will go to Australia.”There might be one player who might be there and thereabouts in case of an injury or whatever. But your team I would say would be known after the IPL. What I would say is rather than speculating of who is where, wait for the IPL to get over and then you are in a position to take a call on who are the best 17 in the country.”

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