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Adama Traore’s Wolves exit feels ‘inevitable’ in the near future because of his wage demands, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Traore’s future uncertain

The Spain winger has had a frustrating season to date, not always a guaranteed starter under Bruno Lage and failing to register a single goal or assist.

Traore has been linked with a move away in the January transfer window as he potentially looks for a fresh challenge at a key point in his career.

The 25-year-old has not yet agreed a new deal – his current £46,000-a-week contract expires at the end of next season – and that has only fuelled speculation over his future. There are currently nine players at Molineux on a higher wage, three of whom take home more than double Traore’s pay packet (Salary Sport).

The Latest: Spiers makes big Traore claim

Taking to Twitter on Sunday night, Spiers responded to a question about Traore’s future, admitting that his wage demands could increase the possibility of him leaving Wolves.

The journalist claimed: “Been rumbling on for more than a year now. From what I gather Traore believes he should be one of, if not the, highest earners at the club. They came close to agreeing in May before Nuno left, then again in September. Unless he lowers his demands an exit feels inevitable.”

The Verdict: Time to go

Traore has had his moments at Wolves – he chipped in with 13 goal contributions in the league in 2019/20 – but he has flattered to deceive all too often, making this the right time to sell him.

Wanderers could receive a healthy amount of money for the £25.2m-rated winger and use the funds to bring in someone who Lage genuinely wants at the club.

It remains to be seen if a January or summer exit is on the cards, but it feels as though Traore is slowly reaching the end of the line at Molineux.

In other news, one midfielder has been linked with a move to Wolves. Find out who it is here.

Cricinfo previews the 13th match of the IPL between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Motera

The Preview by Siddarth Ravindran19-Mar-2010Match factsSaturday, March 20
Start time 1600 (1030 GMT)Can Shane Warne inspire his demoralised squad?•Associated PressBig pictureThe first week could hardly have been worse for Rajasthan Royals. They have lost three matches in a row, lost two important overseas players to injury. To make things worse, a day after their abject capitulation at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Warne has the added worry of monitoring the fitness of key allrounder Shane Watson, who has picked up a strain to his right hip in New Zealand. Their batting looks overly reliant of the brutal hitting of Yusuf Pathan, who was kept quiet by Royal Challengers Bangalore with a barrage of short deliveries. Warne has urged his fans to not lose faith in the team, but what he needs is more from his players, both the Indian ones and the foreign recruits. Questions are already being raised over the strange buys ahead of this season, and those won’t go away unless Michael Lumb and Damien Martyn start delivering.Kolkata Knight Riders have had a more satisfactory week. There was a limp defeat to Chennai Super Kings in their previous game, but they already have wins over both of last year’s finalists. With Chris Gayle adding to the batting firepower, and lining up against a demoralised Rajasthan, Kolkata will be eyeing a third victory. One thing that will worry captain Sourav Ganguly is the bowling at the death; Kolkata looked out of ideas when MS Dhoni went on an onslaught to double Chennai’s score in the final six overs.This will be Ahmedabad’s second IPL match; the first one was blighted by an army of moths which irritated both Warne and Virender Sehwag. The Gujarat Cricket Association is fighting the problem by using fogging machines to reduce the number of insects that are attracted by the floodlights, and say the problem will also be lesser since the match is beginning at 4pm, unlike the previous one which had a late start.Team talkShane Warne has plenty of headaches when it comes to picking his side. While the bowling can’t be blamed for Thursday’s defeat to Bangalore, fast bowler Morne Morkel repeatedly gifted runs away by bowling on the leg stump, which might make Rajasthan repose faith in Shaun Tait’s pace again. Also, both Lumb and Martyn were scratchy in their IPL debuts; one of them should make way for Australian Adam Voges, who also provides the option of a few overs of left-arm spin.For Kolkata, the return of Gayle means Owais Shah could be sidelined, though the England batsman has done little wrong in the tournament so far. Rohan Gavaskar was picked ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara in the previous game, and it remains to be seen whether Kolkata persist with that policy on Saturday. With Ajit Agarkar and Charl Langeveldt still recovering from injuries, no changes are likely to the bowling line-up.Previously…Rajasthan 3 Kolkata 1
Rajasthan won both matches in the first season comfortably – by 45 runs at home, and six wickets at Eden Gardens. In 2009, they needed Kamran Khan’s nerveless Superover to win, but were knocked out of the tournament with a four-wicket defeat after heroics from Langeveldt and Laxmi Ratan Shukla.In the spotlightChris Gayle is one of the most destructive batsmen around, and the Rajasthan bowlers will have a tough time keeping him quiet. His inclusion is also likely to push Brad Hodge down to the middle order, adding solidity of the batting.After unexpectedly guiding Rajasthan to the title in the first season, Shane Warne received plenty of plaudits for his leadership. There can be few bigger captaincy challenges he has faced that trying to lift this side after a string of morale-sapping defeats, and in the absence of several of his game-changing players.Prime numbers Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik has been one of Kolkata’s most dependable bowlers; his IPL economy-rate of 6.50 is the fourth best, behind only Muttiah Muralitharan, Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga One reason Rajasthan are bottom of the table is that they have taken only nine wickets in three matches Chatter”I don’t know what the final decision will be but given the opportunity I would like to make it memorable as I will be playing in front of my own people here.”

After it was recently reported by The Athletic that the San Francisco 49ers have a deal in place to buy Leeds United for more than £400m with an option for 100% control of the Yorkshire club to pass to 49ers Enterprises by January 2024, which includes ownership of Elland Road, it seems as though fresh details have emerged on the matter.

What’s the news?

Leeds journalist Adam Pope recently shared a post on his Twitter page with some fresh details on the proposed takeover deal.

He said: “I understand that due to a multiple of revenues the overall price to take over Leeds could rise to £500m or more depending on factors such as future spending and league status.”

  

Pope also said that Andrea Radrizzani’s company Aser have the option to void the deal if they wish and that the current message seems to be 49ers and Leeds are “still working closely.”

Radz buzzing

Radrizzani completed his takeover of Leeds back in May 2017, ending Massimo Cellino’s three-year spell as the club’s owner after buying a 50% stake in January of the same year.

Since then, the Yorkshire club have managed to rise from the bottom half of the Championship at the end of the 2017/18 season to a top-half finish in the Premier League last season under Marcelo Bielsa’s guidance.

With the future in mind, it seems as though the club could be welcoming new owners in the near future to presumably push the club even further than they’ve managed to come under Bielsa and Radrizzani, which would surely delight a lot of Leeds fans.

However, taking into account what Pope had to say in his recent tweet, it seems as though the club’s final league position this season could have some sort of financial impact on what the takeover deal could look like.

Consequently, if Leeds can finish as high up the table as possible, this would lead to more money being put into the club, which would surely be music to Radrizzani’s ears. Not only would he have generated some fantastic results behind the scenes, keeping them in the division, but his pockets will be larger as a result.

Of course, the Italian’s first thoughts should be with the club but he will surely be motivated by the opportunity to gain an even greater source of income from Leeds’ accomplishments this term. The end goal for Radrizzani was always to cement their Premier League status and if he ends his tenure at Elland Road with that achieved, he will be a very happy man indeed.

However, the fact that Leeds are currently sitting in 15th position in the Premier League table with 16 points on the board from their opening 15 games of the season suggests that there is still some work to be done throughout the second half of the season if they want to match or even improve on their ninth-place finish in the league last season.

In other news: Time to shine: Bielsa must now unleash “superb” £17k-p/w prodigy after big Leeds blow – opinion

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo enfrenta o Fluminense, neste sábado, três dias depois da eliminação do rival na Copa Sul-Americana. Pode ser uma partida ainda de ressaca do Tricolor, mas o técnico Jair Ventura, do Glorioso, não acredita em abalo psicológico do adversário. Até pelo exemplo que o Alvinegro deu nesta mesma temporada.

– Não acredito em abalo, pelo contrário. Tivemos eliminações e sempre vencemos o jogo seguinte. Todo mundo quer provar algo diferente após eliminação. Espero que eles não consigam, agora eles estão com foco só no Brasileiro, como nós. Tenho admiração pelo Abel. Não temos vantagem alguma. Assim como a torcida, vai ser 50% a 50% – acredita Jair.

E é verdade. Quando foi eliminado pelo Flamengo, no Campeonato Carioca, três dias depois, o Sport foi derrotado por 2 a 1. Quando caiu na Copa do Brasil, também para o Rubro-Negro, quem curou a ressaca alvinegra foi o Bahia. Novo 2 a 1. Na Copa Libertadores, após a eliminação para o Grêmio, o Glorioso venceu o Coritiba por 3 a 2.

O time de Jair fez o último treino antes do clássico na tarde desta sexta-feira. Como de costume, o treinador não revelou os 11 jogadores que começam.

RelacionadasBotafogoPega Carga, aplicativo de transporte, patrocina o Botafogo até o fim do anoBotafogo03/11/2017

As per reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, via the West Ham Way website, an update has emerged on the club’s bid to sign Burnley defender James Tarkowski in January.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Tarkowski move…

As has been widely reported, the Clarets mainstay is well and truly on manager David Moyes’ radar heading into the January transfer window as he looks to bolster West Ham’s defensive options.

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It is believed that Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips, Manchester City’s Nathan Ake and Tarkowski are on the agenda as targets next month (West Ham Way), with the latter man linked for a while.

Football Insider claimed last month that the 29-year-old is ‘very keen’ to join West Ham as they eye a move while The Evening Standard back he is a long-time Moyes target.

The Latest: Ex drops update…

According to Ex’s information, although Burnley are ‘intent’ on keeping Tarkowski at Turf Moor, the fact he is in his final season ‘could sway’ them to offload in January rather than let him leave for free at the end of 2021/2022.

The Englishman is a player still being looked at by West Ham, Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman with his contract set to expire next year.

The Verdict: Right man?

Lauded as ‘top drawer’ by his manager Sean Dyche, the central defender has definitely proved he is a reliable presence at the back this season.

According to WhoScored, when compared to West Ham’s current crop, only star summer signing Kurt Zouma has averaged more clearances per 90 in the Premier League (5.2) than Tarkowski (5.1) – highlighting his reliability at times.

In terms of aerial ability, the £50,000-per-week ace has towered over every Irons man – winning a colossal 5 duels every game in the English top flight alone (WhoScored).

The only caveat to a West Ham move may be his age, with fellow targets like Phillips (24) potentially bringing far more in terms of sell-on value whilst coming at a low cost of £10 million.

In other news: ‘Pleease’, ‘I would cry’…West Ham fans erupt as Moyes offered ‘quality signing’, find out more here.

According to Rai journalist Filippo Grassia, speaking to Italian outlet Passione Inter [via Inside Futbol], Newcastle United have lodged a bid of around €100m (£85m) for Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

What’s the latest?

Newcastle’s new owners are fast approaching their first transfer window since taking over from previous owner Mike Ashley, with high expectations regarding the amount of money which could be spent.

An array of top talents across Europe have been linked with a move to the northeast, with the latest being Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Serbian’s name has circulated the English media for a number of months now, with the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and now Newcastle linked with a potential swoop for the forward.

At just 21 years of age, he is currently the top scorer in Serie A, netting 15 goals and registering two assists in 17 league games this term, duly making him one of Europe’s most sought-after players. Moreover, it is believed that the striker has recently rejected a new deal at the Italian club, pricking up the ears of interested potential suitors.

Vlahovic would enter the final 18 months of his contract at Fiorentina next summer if he doesn’t leave in January, but with an £85m bid from Newcastle being reported, it appears that La Viola may be forced to sell.

The Toon Army will be buzzing

If Newcastle are able to sign a player ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United for the significant amount of money being reported, it would be a major statement of intent.

The Magpies are currently 19th in the Premier League table, having won just once in the top flight this season, and they will need reinforcements in January to boost their survival bid.

Callum Wilson is currently their top scorer with six goals in 13 games, but only Allan Saint-Maximin has also scored more than once in the league so far this term, with three goals to his name.

Newcastle have netted 18 goals so far in the league, but they have the top flight’s worst defence, conceding 37 goals in 17 matches.

Furthermore, Wilson has scored a third of the Magpies’ goals, so an injury to the 29-yer-old could have detrimental consequences if it occurs, hence the need to purchase a striker in January.

It will always prove a huge task to follow in the footsteps of Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, who netted 206 goals for the Magpies, making him their all-time leading scorer. However, in the hugely prolific Vlahovic, they could find their best attempt at replacing the Geordie legend since he ended his playing career 15 years ago.

Still very young and without Premier League experience, it could be argued that spending such a vast amount of money on Vlahovic is risky, particularly with survival in the balance. However, it would be a major statement of intent, and the gamble could prove to have remarkable consequences should it pay off.

In other news: Eddie Howe outlines potential Newcastle injury setback, fans could be gutted

Following an extensive enquiry into the events that led to the abandonment of the second Twenty20 between England and Australia, the ECB has recommended that a reserve playing surface should be prepared for all future international fixtures, and that – in the event of the sort of exceptional circumstances that forced the cancellation of the September 1 contest – an amendment to the playing conditions should be sought to ensure that the match goes ahead regardless – which, in the case of that particular Twenty20 fixture, might have involved bowling all overs from one end.The ECB launched their enquiry after the on-field umpires, Peter Hartley and Nigel Llong, were forced to abandon the match primarily because of what they considered to be a ‘dangerous’ and ‘unstable’ area on the bowlers’ run up at the Brian Statham End of the ground. It was also deemed that there were other areas of the ground that were ‘marginal’ in terms of their suitability for international cricket.The enquiry determined that the cause of the problem was the fact that the new drainage system, installed at Old Trafford in the winter of 2008-09, did not include parts of what is to become the new square in 2011, when the surface is relayed to face North-South, as opposed to East-West as it does currently. To do so, the ECB said, would have resulted in further extensive works having to take place in 2010.The safety of the players was deemed to have been paramount in making the decision, and although Lancashire were able to start their County Championship match against Sussex the following day, the umpire for that match, Neil Mallender, stated that he would not have declared the ground fit for international cricket. Nevertheless, the ECB report exonerated Lancashire for their part in the abandonment, praising their ground covers as “excellent”, and pointing out that there had been an unusual volume of rain in the days leading up to the match, exposing those parts of the ground without the new drainage.The report made six recommendations in all:

That as soon as the square at Old Trafford is relocated in Autumn 2010 the drainage is further reviewed to ensure all areas outside the square benefit from the enhanced drainage system.

To recommend to ICC that the abandonment of matches whilst remaining in the sole control of the umpires is only made after consultation with the ground authority.

The safety of players must remain an overriding criteria if there is a substantive risk of serious injury.

To recommend to ICC that conditions must be safe to preserve the integrity of the match and due care for the players but in marginal conditions play should be maximised. In the case of abandoned T20 matches the Home Board should have the right to reschedule the fixture if a venue be available and is feasible within 24 – 48 hours .

All Category A and B venues be required to prepare two playing surfaces which shall be a minimum of 5 metres apart for major matches.

That in consultation with the Home Board the ICC Match Referee and the captains should have the power to amend the playing regulations to seek to provide play .

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said: “We thank Gordon Hollins, the ECB’s head of venue partnerships, for his thorough investigation of the events surrounding this abandonment. We are bitterly disappointed for the 17,000 spectators who had spent time and money attending the match and aim to do everything in our powers to ensure play whenever possible.”The Board have received a series of recommendations which they will now progress – including the suggestion that drainage facilities and permanent floodlights for matches awarded from 2011 become a significant part of the balanced scorecard used when the Major Match Group award such matches.”The ECB will also recommend a new match protocol for International Twenty20 to the ICC as a matter of urgency.

Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur is set to extend his stay at the club after enjoying a fabulous start under the tutelage of new manager Patrick Vieira.

What’s the story?

According to LondonWorld, the 34-year-old is expected to put pen to paper on fresh terms over the coming weeks, with his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2022.

The report states that: “LondonWorld understands that both the player and club have agreed to extend their time together for another year, and they are just working out the final details before the former Scotland international puts pen to paper.”

There’s no indication of how long the proposed deal would be, but given his age, it would likely be a one-year extension.

Crystal Palace fans will be elated

McArthur arrived at Selhurst Park via a £5.5m move from Wigan Athletic back in 2014 and has gone on to establish himself as a mainstay in the capital club’s engine room, making 238 appearances in all competitions.

The former Hamilton Academical academy graduate hit 300 appearances in England’s top-flight before the recent international break, and the Accies academy director George Cairns lauded the diminutive midfielder’s achievement.

Cairns told Not The Old Firm: “It’s a huge achievement for James. 300 appearances in the Premier League? That is fantastic.

“It’s absolutely phenomenal and what he has gone on to achieve down south has been excellent. You can only commend him as he has done fantastically well.”

And the £55k-per-week earner appears to be getting better with age with Vieira dubbing him a warrior. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the 3-3 draw with Burnley last time out, but he had started every league game up until that point this season.

With Palace beginning a transitional period under their French coach, keeping experienced heads such as McArthur’s around will be extremely beneficial, and the club’s supporters will be elated at this latest revelation.

And, in other news…“I think..”: Sky Sports reporter drops intriguing CPFC transfer claim, Vieira must act

As per Football Italia, a promising Tottenham Hotspur transfer development has surfaced involving Bayern Munich star Corentin Tolisso.

The Lowdown: Tolisso wanted by Poch and Paratici…

In past seasons, two high-profile figures relating to Spurs in former manager Mauricio Pochettino and new transfer chief Fabio Paratici both tried to get their hands on the Frenchman at one point.

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Once valued at around £50m by former club Lyon (football.london), he was once attracting serious interest from Spurs during Pochettino’s reign, and it is believed that the Argentine wanted to bring him to north London in 2017 (L’Equipe).

Meanwhile, at that same time, Paratici was also in the race to sign Tolisso for Juventus – with Tuttosport claiming (via juvefc.com) that Tottenham’s current managing director was aiming to close a deal.

In a twist, some positive transfer news has emerged out of Spurs regarding the 27-year-old.

The Latest: Spurs enter pole position…

According to Football Italia’s sources, it appears that Tottenham have now entered ‘pole position’ to sign the midfield maestro ahead of fellow competitors Inter Milan.

The report claimed that, after years of attempts, Paratici could ‘finally land Tolisso’ in what is an encouraging development.

The Verdict: Midfield upgrade?

Missing 23 games through injury last season for Bayern whilst being handed few opportunities by Julian Nagelsmann this term, a swoop for Tolisso represents a gamble.

He is apparently demanding €6m per year (£5.036m), which roughly translates to around £100,000 per week and would make him the joint-fifth highest-paid player at Tottenham (Spotrac). For that amount, Spurs manager Antonio Conte and chairman Daniel Levy will want a player who can contribute regularly and to great effect.

Indeed, despite Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann lauding Tolisso’s ‘quality’, we believe this may be one for Tottenham to avoid, even if it is on a pre-contract with the view to signing him for free.

In other news: Journalist says ‘world beater’ could now be tempted to join Spurs, find out more here.

Speaking on the Calciomercato Show, as broadcast live on CMIT TV, Italian reporter Furio Focolari has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Spurs chase Serb…

Even long before the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte in what has been a whirlwind few days for the club, Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici was allegedly trying to bring Vlahovic through the doors at N17.

Indeed, Spurs were linked with a move for the free-scoring Serbia international through the summer transfer window with reports from Italy even suggesting that they failed with a multi-million pound bid for his services (Fanta Calcio).

However, following on from the huge update recently that Vlahovic refused a new Fiorentina contract which would have made him the highest paid player in the club’s history (La Viola owner Rocco Commisso via Sky), Spurs may be in a better position to negotiate his signing.

Conte’s appointment at Spurs has only intensified reports linking the Lilywhites with another attempt to sign Vlahovic as reporter Focolari drops a live TV transfer claim.

The Latest: Vlahovic claim dropped…

Speaking to the Calciomercato Show, as broadcast live on CMIT TV, Focolari thinks the £45 million-valued star will now join Spurs instead of fellow competitors for his signature, Juventus.

“I don’t think Vlahovic will go to Juventus. I think he will go to Tottenham, given the arrival of Conte. Vlahovic is a top player. ”

The Verdict: Spurs fans wouldn’t be disappointed…

Going by his numbers and praise from Italian football critics over this season and last, it’s safe to say Spurs supporters certainly wouldn’t be disappointed by his arrival at the club.

The 21-year-old, who would come with huge sell-on value given his age and potential, has already racked up ten goals and an assist in just 12 appearances across all competitions (Transfermarkt) – he scored a stunning hat-trick just this past weekend against Spezia.

Highlighting his proficiency in front of goal, Vlahovic has averaged more shots on goal per 90 domestically this season (3.3) than any Spurs player – even last season’s PFA Team of the Year members Son Heung-min and Harry Kane (WhoScored).

He has also attracted more fouls per 90 (2.5) than any Tottenham star, indicating he is an absolute nightmare to play against and could be a real asset for Conte at Spurs with his physicality up front.

Lilywhites fans are surely hoping that Focolari is right and Vlahovic does indeed choose north London over Turin.