Arsenal have been linked with moves with a number of central midfielders – including Sevilla’s Steven Nzonzi and Watford’s Abdoulaye Doucoure already this year, but Gunners fans have urged their club to sign Tanguy Ndombele instead following an impressive campaign on loan at Lyon.
The France U21 international joined the Ligue 1 club on loan from Amiens last summer for the 2017/18 campaign, and he impressed by making 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing a further eight assists.
Lyon are expected to get the athletic 21-year-old on a permanent basis, but his fine performances may mean that they still face a battle to keep hold of him this summer after he showed how effective he can be from both a defensive and attacking point of view in the middle of the park.
Arsenal supporters, the large majority of whom want Emery to reunite with a £63m midfielder this summer, have been quick to have their say on Ndombele, and while one described him as “better than both” when comparing him to Nzonzi and Doucoure, another said “Ndombele would be a dream signing”.
According to reliable West Ham United insider @ExWHUemployee on his latest The West Ham Way blog, the east London club are ready to listen to offers for defender Aaron Cresswell, rated at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, this summer.
The left-back often filled in as a left-sided centre-back in a three-man defence under David Moyes in 2018, but he often struggled from a defensive point of view with the Irons, whose fans would forget about Manuel Lanzini’s injury blow if they sign £45m attacker target, ending the Premier League season with the joint-worst record at the back having conceded 68 goals in their 38 fixtures.
However, the 29-year-old did show the threat he brings at the other end of the pitch with seven assists – a stat that could tempt their top flight rivals to bid for him.
So, how would selling the former Ipswich Town man truly impact the club from the capital? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of a summer deal for the left-back…
Beginning of the end of an era
Following another disappointing West Ham season, there could be big changes within the squad this summer that could see members of the old guard like Cresswell, Winston Reid, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll leave – something that @ExWHUemployee alludes to in his blog.
If the 29-year-old does go this summer and some of those names follow him through the exit door it could be the beginning of the end of era in some ways, with the east London club looking to take a new direction under Manuel Pellegrini.
Luke Shaw signs
Pellegrini has usually played with a back four during his managerial career, and he may well choose to stick with that despite the fact that the Irons often played with a back three under Moyes.
If Cresswell is sold then the Chilean boss may well look to sign a new left-back who is more reliable defensively than Arthur Masuaku, and rescuing Shaw from his Manchester United nightmare under Jose Mourinho could be a great move for all parties.
The 22-year-old England international is still young and has plenty to offer at this level, and he could be the Irons’ first-choice player in that position for a number of years.
Vashon Neufville makes first-team debut
The highly-rated 18-year-old is yet to make his bow for the east London outfit, but he showed how highly thought of he is when he was named on the substitutes’ bench for the FA Cup third round tie against Shrewsbury Town in January.
ESPN reported back in May that Arsenal and Manchester City are both watching the teenager closely, and if he doesn’t get more first-team opportunities soon there could be a real risk of him moving on.
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The departure of Cresswell this summer would surely ensure that he makes his Irons debut under Pellegrini next term.
So, West Ham fans, should your club sell the £10.8m-rated Aaron Cresswell? Let us know by voting below…
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Sunderland fans have found another reason to bash their previous ownership, after reports suggested the Black Cats won’t get a penny if Jordan Pickford makes a huge move this summer.
According to reports, both Manchester United and Bayern Munich are targeting Pickford, but Sunderland will not receive a portion of the deal, as they did not agree a sell-on clause when they sold him to Everton.
The young stopper swapped Wearside for Merseyside last summer, after an incredible season earned him a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Despite grabbing an initial fee of £25million in the deal though, it seems the Black Cats made a big mistake by not demanding a portion of any future sale.
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The report claims Munich are eyeing the young Englishman as Manuel Neuer’s successor, and Manchester United could turn to him if David De Gea joins Real Madrid.
The previous ownership a the Stadium of Light took plenty of deserved criticism, and fans are bashing them again for not including a sell-on clause.
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It’s safe to say the club could do with some extra funds right now, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Virgil van Dijk boosted Liverpool’s defence significantly when he joined the club from Southampton in January.
There are still questions over his potential centre-back partners, with Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan all possessing weaknesses.
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One man, though, who Liverpool fans believe could thrive alongside Van Dijk is Leicester City defender Harry Maguire.
The 25-year-old’s performances for the Foxes last season earned him a place in the England squad for the World Cup in Russia.
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On Monday night, manager Gareth Southgate started Maguire as part of a back three in the Three Lions’ opening Group G game against Tunisia.
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The defender looked comfortable in his role as he played out from the back and even created the assist that led to Harry Kane’s 91st-minute winner.
There has not been any indication that Liverpool are on the hunt for a new defender this summer, but the fans think that Maguire would fit right in.
Tottenham Hotspur fans have been in awe of Luka Modric’s performances at the World Cup so far and would love to see him re-sign for the club this summer.
The Croatia midfielder has scored twice in two games for his country in their opening matches at the summer tournament, helping them ensure their qualification for the knock-out stages with wins over Nigeria and Argentina.
Was particularly impressive during their 3-0 dismantling of Argentina on Thursday night, scoring a beautiful goal, putting his side two goals ahead with 10 minutes remaining.
It has been a world class showing and Spurs fans are desperate to see him return to the club he shone at for four years before making the switch to Real Madrid.
He has been linked with a move back to the English Premier League as recently as last week and it’s clear that supporters would jump at the chance of reunion, despite the player now being 32 years of age.
Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his World Cup so far…
West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini identified Lazio winger Felipe Anderson as one of his top targets when he took the helm at the London Stadium, but a deal for the Brazilian is still yet to go through.
Even though the east London outfit are ready to smash their transfer record to bring him to the English capital, the two clubs still haven’t agreed a fee for him and the Chilean boss may well be considering moving on to other targets if the Serie A side aren’t willing to play ball, or continue to be difficult to negotiate with.
While the 25-year-old may try to push the matter by handing in a transfer request, there are plenty of other marquee signings that Pellegrini may feel he is able to buy if the owners are willing to back him again.
With just five weeks until the transfer window closes, time is of the essence in the market this summer and the Hammers should end this saga now because of the lack of progress, and turn their attentions elsewhere.
Here are three wingers West Ham should sign in a big-money deal instead of Anderson…
If West Ham do pull out of a deal for Anderson, they should consider launching a huge offer for PSV Eindhoven winger Hirving Lozano after he enjoyed an outstanding campaign for the Eredivisie outfit, before he shone for his country at the 2018 World Cup.
The 22-year-old scored 19 goals and provided a further 11 assists in 34 appearances in all competitions in his debut campaign with PSV, and his pace, skill and finishing ability was also present in Russia when he found the net in the 1-0 win against Germany.
Mexican media outlet Record reported last month that Lozano could be available for €35m (£31m), but that may well have risen following his World Cup displays.
Sky Sports reported on Sunday that West Ham had launched a £27m bid for Nice attacker Alassane Plea, and whether that is true or not it would suggest there is interest in the versatile Frenchman from the Irons.
If they could get him for around that fee he would almost certainly be cheaper than Anderson, and with a record of 21 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit last term, he would add something in the final third for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.
While he largely played as a striker for Nice last season, he has often played on the wing previously during his career and with a potential battle against Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic for a centre-forward spot at the London Stadium, he could find himself out wide again.
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The Frenchman is another player that could come at a big cost this summer following an outstanding Ligue 1 campaign, but he could be a worthwhile purchase for West Ham out wide given his impressive statistics.
The 25-year-old scored 26 goals and provided a further 18 assists in 54 appearances in all competitions for Marseille last term from out wide on the right, and while he struggled during a spell with Newcastle United previously he looks to have matured and improved significantly since then.
Shubman Gill was taken to a hospital for examination after the end of the second day’s play and is currently under observation in the hospital
ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-2025Shubman Gill, who had retired hurt clutching the back of his neck on the second day of the ongoing first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, “will take no further part in the Test match”, the BCCI said on Sunday morning, before the start of the third day of the Test.”[Gill] was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day’s play,” the BCCI statement said. “He is currently under observation in the hospital. He will take no further part in the Test match. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team.”Gill’s participation in the remainder of the Eden Gardens Test had come into question on Saturday night itself. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, he was stretchered off from the stadium and hospitalised for what was understood to be a precautionary measure following neck spasms. He had been spotted wearing a neck brace and was accompanied by the team doctor when he left the stadium.Related
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He had felt discomfort three balls into his innings after unfurling a sweep to get off the mark with a boundary off Simon Harmer, and immediately called for the physio as he clutched the back of his neck. Gill was quick to leave the field, retired hurt, and didn’t return to bat as India were bowled out for 189.Before the day’s play, Gill was spotted by the broadcasters doing neck exercises in front of the coaching staff and a member of the medical team. In October 2024, too, he missed a Test against New Zealand due to neck stiffness.Terming the injury as “unfortunate”, India bowling coach Morne Morkel ruled out major concerns when asked about Gill’s workload and participation.”Gill is a very fit guy, he looks after himself very well,” Morkel said on Saturday evening. “So, it’s just unfortunate this morning that he woke up with a stiff neck and that carried him into the day, which was crucial for us. Another sort of partnership with him batting around was going to be needed for us at the time and… just bad timing.”In Gill’s absence, Rishabh Pant captained the side during South Africa’s second innings.
Thilan Thushara has been ruled out of the ongoing three-Test series against India because of a shoulder injury. He will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando in the squad
Cricinfo staff17-Nov-2009Thilan Thushara, the Sri Lankan fast bowler, has been ruled out of the ongoing three-Test series in India because of a shoulder injury. He will be replaced by Dilhara Fernando, who is expected to join the team on November 18.”Thilan Thushara will return to Sri Lanka due to a shoulder injury, and he will not be match fit for approximately two to four weeks,” Sri Lankan Cricket said in a statement. “Dilhara Fernando will replace him.”Thushara hurt his shoulder after crashing into Kaushal Silva during training on Sunday and the injury did not heal in time for him to play the first Test in Ahmedabad. The decision to replace Thushara with Chanaka Welegedara was taken five minutes before the toss.The expected duration of Thushara’s recovery will rule him out of the one-dayers and Twenty20 internationals that follow the Test series. Fernando’s call-up meant that he would fly to India earlier than planned for he was part of the limited-overs squads. Nuwan Kulasekera is the other reserve fast bowler currently in the Test squad.
A round-up of the first day’s action from the sixth round of the Ranji Trophy Super League
Cricinfo staff08-Dec-2009
Group B
Munaf Patel’s five-wicket haul was not enough to give Baroda a much-needed first-innings lead•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Scorecard Saurashtra gained a narrow first-innings lead against Baroda in a dramatic day in which 20 wickets fell at the Moti Bagh Stadium. Munaf Patel took five wickets in the morning to bowl out Saurashtra for 127 in just 35 overs; run-machine Cheteshwar Pujara can only make 9. Even that total was reached due to a 26 from No. 8 Rakesh Dhurv after Saurashtra were 99 for 9. The final wicket stand proved invaluable after Baroda lost the initiative when their batting folded for 124. Baroda lost a wicket off the first ball of the reply, but things seemed to be back on track when they reached 78 for 4. Medium-pacer Jayesh Odedra, however, took five of the final six Baroda wickets to give Saurashtra the first-innings honours.
Scorecard Experienced Delhi players, Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia, combined for a 256-run fourth-wicket stand to demoralise Maharashtra at the Roshanara Club ground. Maharashtra’s decision to field seemed to be paid dividends when Delhi were reduced to 88 for 3, with captain Virat Kohli dismissed for 4. However, Manhas went on to his 17th first-class century and Bhatia missed out on triple figures by one run to put Delhi in control. Maharashtra are staring at chasing a giant first-innings score but at least had the relief of snapping the mammoth stand in the penultimate over of the day. by 193 runs
Scorecard Sourav Ganguly’s 66 was not enough to stop Bengal from being rolled over for 193 by Uttar Pradesh’s strong bowling attack at Green Park in Kanpur. Bengal slipped to 20 for 3 after being sent in when captain Manoj Tiwary was run out for 1. Ganguly and opener Arindam Das put on a patient 81-run stand to revive Bengal before legspinner Piyush Chawla removed both batsmen. Rohan Gavaskar (20) and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (39) were the only other batsmen to reach double-digits as Bengal struggled to string together partnerships. Chawla finished with four wickets and new-ball bowler Praveen Kumar scalped three.
Group A
Scorecard Railways made slow progress after being sent in by Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Half-centuries from Yere Goud and opener Faiz Fazal led the Railways batting effort against a revamped Hyderabad bowling attack. Fazal made most of the early runs, dominating stands with opener V Cheluvaraj and Sanjay Bangar. The returning Alfred Absolem and MP Arjun took two wickets apiece, and Fazal was run out by Amol Shinde to leave Railways struggling at 128 for 5. Goud then revived the batting with a dour unbeaten 70 and in the company of M Suresh, who battled nearly three hours for his 24, to add an unbroken 83 runs for the sixth wicket.
Scorecard Orissa lost regular wickets after being asked to bat by Punjab to finish the first day at 232 for 7. They made a quick start with the openers adding 56 in 8.3 overs before captain Shiv Sundar Das was dismissed. The run-rate eased up after that but his opening partner Bikas Pati made a 63-ball 52 before popping a catch back to fast bowler Manpreet Gony. No. 3 Niranjan Behera then held the innings together with a cautious 72, but no one else made a substantial score. Medium-pacer Love Ablish’s impressive season continued as he finished with five scalps to move into joint fourth-spot in the wicket-takers’ chart.
Scorecard Only 59 overs of play was possible in Surat, in which bottom-of-the-table Himachal Pradesh took five Gujarat wickets. It looked to be Gujarat’s day when they moved to 130 for 2, thanks to captain Parthiv Patel’s 57, but three wickets for no addition of runs in the space of seven deliveries left HP the happier side. Wicketkeeper Ajay Mannu snapped four catches on the day, and fast bowler Vikramjeet Malik – HP’s most impressive performer this season – captured three wickets.Click to read Nagraj Gollapudi’s bulletin of the first day’s play between Mumbai and Tamil Nadu.
Jerome Taylor, the West Indies fast bowler, was freed after arrest for assault at a bar in Kingston, AFP has reported
Cricinfo staff01-Jan-2010Jerome Taylor, the West Indies fast bowler, was freed after arrest for assault at a bar in Kingston, has reported. Taylor, who has represented West Indies in 29 Tests and 62 ODIs, was charged with using indecent language, assaulting a police officer, improper conduct and resisting arrest by local police in his parish, St Elizabeth.According to police sergeant Clifford Evans, Taylor, who returned from the tour of Australia due to a back injury, was a patron at a bar when the police ordered it to close as required at 11pm. Taylor reportedly became abusive and matters escalated when the police tried to handcuff him.Taylor was later released and is scheduled to appear in court on January 12.