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Whilst the focus so far this summer has been on signings, with Tim Iroegbunam and Jack Harrison on their way to Everton, the Toffees have been forced to turn their attention towards solving their takeover dilemma yet again.

Everton takeover news

For the entirety of last season, it looked as though 777 Partners could still become the new majority owners of Everton, but they never got the Premier League approval they so desperately needed. In the end, it looks as though that was the correct call, however, with much of 777's portfolio facing financial troubles.

The Miami-based firm lost control of Brazilian club Vasco while Belgian outfit Standard Liege had issues with unpaid players, and everything is pointing towards a bullet dodged for Everton.

777's failure did at least open the door to new investors, however, and there were several parties waiting in line on that front. Crystal Palace's John Textor was reportedly looking to sell his share in the London club at one stage to put together an offer for Everton, whilst Andy Bell and Goerge Downing reportedly tabled an offer alongside MSP Sports Capital. Yet, none of those three options have taken a vital step towards a completed deal.

Everton could forget all about Onana by signing "future icon"

Everton are one of a number of sides interested in the midfielder.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 21, 2024

Instead, according to Matt Slater and Patrick Boyland of The Athletic, the Friedkin Group has entered a period of exclusivity to buy Everton. The Texas-based AS Roma owners, who won the Europa Conference League in 2022, are led by CEO Dan Friedkin, who is currently worth a reported £4.9bn.

Everton's next step

According to The Athletic, Friedkin, like 777, must now await Premier League approval. For now, the prospective new owners have agreed to clear MSP's, Bell and Downing's £158m loan before turning their attention towards completing the new Bramley-Moor Dock stadium.

Meanwhile, the Friedkin Group will be completing checks of their own now that they're in a period of exclusivity with the Toffees in what they will hope to be a smooth process.

Of course, Everton have been here before – Farhad Moshiri has entered exclusivity only for a deal to fall through. But this time has to be different, the sale must reach completion this summer. Alongside that though, the Friedkin Group must pass the same Premier League owners' and directors' test that 777 failed, which will assess where their funding comes from and whether their three-year plan with Everton is viable.

So, it's not quite a simple route to completion. Completing the purchase of Everton will include several hurdles. 777 fell at the final hurdle, but Friedkin will hope to take the next step that the Miami-based firm failed to take, before their portfolio began to fall around them. With that said, it should be an interesting few weeks at Goodison Park as they edge closer and closer to a takeover at last.

The ongoing National T20 Cup to be used to showcase Pakistan’s preparedness for the international white-ball series

Umar Farooq03-Oct-2020

Zimbabwe were the first Full Member to tour Pakistan after the 2009 Lahore attack•AFP

Zimbabwe Cricket will send a five-person delegation to Pakistan to assess the arrangements for the bio-secure bubble ahead of their six-match limited-overs series in the country.The PCB is currently staging the six-team National T20 Cup in the country in biosecure bubbles. The first leg of matches is currently on in Multan, where the ODI leg of the Zimbabwe series will be played, and the remaining games will be in Rawalpindi, the venue for the T20Is. The National T20 Cup is expected to serve as an example for the Zimbabwean delegation. Lahore, meanwhile, is hosting the National T20 Cup for the second XIs, while the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with both the first XIs and second XIs, will be held entirely in Karachi across six venues from this month.Comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is, the tour is scheduled to begin on October 30 in Multan with the ODIs, which are a part of the World Cup Super League. Zimbabwe will carry a 32-member squad to cater to both the formats as well as for the intra-squad warm-up matches.This will be Zimbabwe’s first tour of Pakistan after 2015, when they became the first Full-Member nation to visit the country after the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009. On that occasion, each of the touring Zimbabwe cricketers was paid US$ 12,500 by the PCB to make the visit, a practice the PCB continued till 2018 in a bid to get international cricket going in Pakistan again. With the situation having changed significantly in recent years, there is no financial inducement for the Zimbabweans to visit this time, five-and-some years on from that historic visit.The delegation, comprising two health officers, one security in-charge, and two ZC executives are expected to land in Islamabad on October 10. Their official inter-city travel will begin after they return two negative tests within 48 hours of arrival in Pakistan’s national capital. Once given the go-ahead, they will begin their inspection in Rawalpindi during the National T20 Cup, followed by a visit to Multan. The Zimbabwe squad will also undergo two Covid-19 tests within a space of 48 hours: one in Harare prior to their departure on October 19, and the other upon arrival in Islamabad on October 20.On September 4, the PCB had announced a full domestic season, with six associations staying and playing in bio-secure bubbles, and opening up the training facilities at its National High Performance Centre in Lahore – all in a strictly controlled bio-secure environments. It has also issued an advisory to restart the sport at the grassroots and recreational levels with adequate safety measures in place.The Covid-19 situation in Pakistan is understood to be getting better, with a sense of normalcy beginning to trickle in since last month. Tourism, stores and malls, restaurants, educational institutions and public transport have resumed operating.

The 21-year-old enjoyed her breakthrough in Emma Hayes' final season and has started the Sonia Bompastor era in impressive form

For many, Aggie Beever-Jones' first England call-up came much later than it should've. It was only after a remarkable 2024-25 campaign had come to an end that she was officially included in one of Sarina Wiegman's squads, after she had averaged a goal every 62 minutes for a title-winning Chelsea team. But how her breakthrough season panned out was a perfect encapsulation of the difficulties she faces in making her mark at the highest level for club and country.

To break through at Chelsea as an academy product is not easy, not in this day and age. The Blues have won each of the last five Women's Super League titles and have become a genuine force in the Champions League, meaning the standard in the first team is among the very best in the entire women's game. That's a level that the young players need to match, one way or another.

It's especially difficult to come through as a forward, too. Beever-Jones has been battling with the likes of Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Catarina Macario for game time in the forward line – and those are just three of the Blues' 10 senior international attackers. It's a challenge that extends to England, where she spent last season falling just short of making the cut in squads that featured established stars like Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly.

But that she forced her way into the Chelsea team, that she eventually got that Lionesses call-up and that she looks set to be an even more important player for her club this season is all a testament to Beever-Jones' talent and work ethic. And as the Blues' Champions League campaign gets under way, she'll be keen to show that she is capable of performing at a consistently high level on the biggest stages – not just to help her club in their bid for that elusive European title, but with one eye on next summer's European Championship, too.

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  Making the most of the loan system

  Every academy talent has a different path into senior football and Beever-Jones' came through the loan system, with her steadily progressing to the level required at Chelsea through a spell in the second tier with Bristol City and a season in the top-flight at Everton. A quick look at the numbers from both stints and neither jumps off the page, but it was the experience accrued, rather than the goals scored, that laid the foundation for her Chelsea breakthrough.

  "You need that game time to experiment, try new things and make mistakes," Beever-Jones would later tell of the benefits of going to Bristol, while highlighting her time at Everton as important to develop her defensive traits.

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  Taking her opportunities

  When she came back to Chelsea for pre-season in the summer of 2023, then, she was an improved player in many areas. Still, she wasn't going to be granted game time in such a competitive squad. Beever-Jones had to work hard for every minute she got and take her opportunities when they came her way. It's fair to say she did that.

  Despite being granted just six starts in the WSL, the rest of her 17 appearances coming from the bench, Beever-Jones ended the 2023-24 campaign with 11 goals, a tally only bettered on the Chelsea team by James' 13. She also scored in every league start, a feat she has continued into the new season after netting against Crystal Palace last month.

  "For me, it's all about her attitude and her mentality," Chelsea captain Millie Bright said this week. "It all comes down to that. She's always been like a sponge in our environment, just trying to learn from some of the best players that we've got in terms of her position and then executing in training and when she gets her opportunity. Whether it's five minutes, 10, 20, starting games, she takes her chances."

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  Providing an option

  This year, it looks like the starts will become much more regular. Kerr's ACL injury in January was followed by Mia Fishel suffering the same devastating fate just a few weeks later, depriving Chelsea of two senior international strikers not just for the second half of Emma Hayes' final season in charge, but also for the first half of Sonia Bompastor's first campaign.

  Hayes dipped into the January market and splashed the cash on Mayra Ramirez, an outstanding talent who has been at the forefront of Colombia's rise in women's football. However, she has picked up a few knocks while getting used to the rigours of playing every three days, and in a more physical domestic league, meaning all three of Chelsea's natural No.9s have been sidelined at the same time on numerous occasions.

  Fortunately, in a squad with the quality and depth of the Blues', both coaches have other options. Macario, the United States star who can play essentially any attacking role, is one and Beever-Jones, who came through as a wide player, is another.

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  Stepping up

  That said, Beever-Jones has earned her chances. She has not just been given them because needs must, though it is worth mentioning the absentees because she has had big shoes to fill and has done so admirably. Her performances in the No.9 role are all the more impressive because it's not something she is particularly natural in, either.

  “Being in a squad like we are, you have to get used to sometimes playing out of position," she said last season. "I’ve grown up playing on the wing, but I’ve come here and transitioned more into a nine. I see it as a positive that I can understand the game from different aspects."

  That versatility is an asset when it comes to getting minutes in a competitive Chelsea team, and a competitive England team, and it is useful for her coaches, too. During last month's 7-0 thrashing of Palace, it was as a No.9 that Beever-Jones started the game and in that role that she scored with a well-taken finish. But after the second-half introduction of Ramirez, she ended the match out wide, where she continued to be a menace – just a more creative one.

MatériaMais Notícias

Eliminado da Libertadores, o Fluminense demitiu Roger Machado após o empate com o Barcelona-EQU. Depois do adeus à principal competição do continente, Paulo Vinícius Coelho, o PVC,classificou o desfecho negativo como ‘aceitável’. O jornalista, no entanto, considera outro fator como fora da normalidade: a quantidade de jogadores criados em Xerém que se tornam peças do Flamengo.

+ Veja todos os resultados da Libertadores

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– Todos nós estamos de acordo que o Fluminense fez o que podia fazer: chegar às quartas de final da Libertadores. Só que ele foi eliminado por um time que fez mais do que podia fazer: chegou à semifinal. O Barcelona-EQU não era um time que você olhava e dizia que poderia estar em uma semifinal. Não, não podia! O Fluminense precisa mudar por dentro, isso está claro. Acho até que a gestão do Mario Bittencourt está tentando fazer isso – começou Paulo Vinícius Coelho no programa “Seleção SporTV” da última sexta-feira (20).

Após o empate por 2 a 2 no Maracanã, o Tricolor ficou no 1 a 1 na última quinta-feira (19) com o Barcelona de Guayaquil no Estádio Monumental, no Equador, e foi eliminado da Libertadores nas quartas de final.

– O Fluminense não pode aceitar uma série de coisas. Como, por exemplo: no passado, o slogan do Flamengo era “Craque, o Flamengo faz em casa”. Agora, é “Craque, o Flamengo faz em Xerém”. E pior, o cara chega no Flamengo e diz que sempre foi rubro-negro. É o Gerson, Pedro, Kenedy. O Fluminense não pode aceitar isso. Ser eliminado nas quartas de final da Libertadores, em uma condição que o clube tem hoje, é o aceitável. O inaceitável é que o Barcelona vai além – concluiu o jornalista.

Roger Machado não é mais o treinador do Fluminense. Após a queda na Libertadores e com a soma dos resultados recentes, a diretoria optou pela mudança no comando da equipe. Além das derrotas recentes, pesou para a decisão o rendimento baixo apresentado pelo time, especialmente em partidas decisivas. Mesmo com um contrato longo firmado no início do ano, as expectativas não foram cumpridas.

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt described his mistake-ridden performance for the Netherlands against Bosnia and Herzegovina as "f****d".

Article continues below

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• Netherlands beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 5-2
• De Ligt makes two errors in Nations League win
• Man Utd man described one mistake as "f****d"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronald Koeman's team secured a 5-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Nations League on Saturday, but the scoreline, arguably, flattered the Dutch. Manchester United centre-back De Ligt was at fault for both of the away side's goals, especially Edin Dzeko's strike that made it 3-2 with 17 minutes left. While manager Koeman downplayed De Ligt's errors, the 25-year-old was very critical of his actions.

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  WHAT MATTHIJS DE LIGT SAID

  The former Bayern Munich ace said after the game: "I think you know how I feel… we won… but then comes the individual part. I should have done better at their second goal, and I know that. I don't really know what happened. I should have cleared the ball but I kept having doubts during the play. It's just f****d."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Ligt swapped Bayern for United last month for a fee that could rise to £43 million ($56.4m) but performances like this for the Netherlands will not breed much confidence in him going forward. Manager Erik ten Hag will hope the defender can cut out those mistakes when he is playing for the Red Devils soon.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Despite his mistakes, Koeman said on De Ligt: "He himself realises that he was in the wrong position. This should not happen, but mistakes are part of football. I think it is unfair to make a big deal out of it."

  It remains to be seen if he will start for the Dutch against Germany on Tuesday in their next Nations League game.

Forty staff have been made redundant by Cricket Australia as part of a A$40 million package of savings to reshape the organisation after its leadership admitted the need to reduce costs for greater sustainability in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.While some departments, notably community cricket and commercial, have avoided major staff losses, high performance programs at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and coaching staff for the national teams have been pared back significantly. The most high-profile casualty is Graeme Hick, the national team batting coach since 2016, a period in which he has hurled down countless balls at Steven Smith, among others.On a painful day for the governing body, just 24 hours after Kevin Roberts was removed as CEO to be replaced by interim Nick Hockley, the CA chairman Earl Eddings confirmed that the major domestic competitions – Sheffield Shield, Marsh Cup, Women’s National Cricket League, BBL and WBBL – will retain their current formats after they had been threatened by cuts.ALSO READ: Kevin Roberts exit as Cricket Australia CEO won’t heal all woundsHowever, the 2nd XI competition and pathway programmes at U-15 and U-17 level have been paused for the next financial year while there will be no Australia A tours or Cricket Australia XI fixtures.It is not clear yet whether other executives will be jettisoned in the wake of Roberts’ resignation, or if any further changes to the management team will be made by the next long-term chief executive.”Where we were maybe three months ago we were looking at more drastic cuts,” Eddings said. “But given the fact we had stood people down allowed us the flexibility to maintain more roles. Certainly in the last couple of weeks we’ve been able to really protect that core part of our business.”Hockley added that while some of the changes made are temporary in relation to the pandemic, others will be permanent as CA adjusts its costs so it can cope with the fluctuations of the four-year cycle of funding that can swing by as much as A$100 million depending on the schedule.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Eddings said that in future, greater cash reserves may need to be held by all sporting organisations in order to prepare for similar sorts of shocks – a pointer to how CA’s cost-base had grown to the point that the 2018-19 summer, including a tour by India, raised a surplus of only A$18 million for the governing body. Similarly, Eddings defended the board’s extremely conservative forecasting to the states and the Australian Cricketers Association, an issue still being haggled over.”I think across all organisations, the risk management scene is critical and who would have predicted a global pandemic like this would hit,” he said. “It will certainly make all organisations go back and look at their assumptions about risk management, including reserves policies. I think over time we’re going to have to reassess that as all good organisations do.ALSO READ: Malcolm Speed: States should hold off Cricket Australia board change for now“I think like any forecast we made three or four months ago that’s subject to review and the review we’ve made to our cost-base has certainly changed, our forecasts back to the states and territories and the ACA are always being upgraded and…I’ve got no doubt we’re optimistic that could be another area we work with the ACA.”In a nod to how the game will be restructured, states and territories will be given “greater autonomy to develop players”, a statement essentially meaning drastic cuts to the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and there was also reference to “prudently resourced” national men’s and women’s teams.The 40 redundancies at CA take the total job losses across the game since the pandemic struck towards 200 although there are fewer losses at headquarters than had been expected earlier in the crisis due to the improving situation around Covid-19 – it is understood that more than 80 staff may have been departing as recently as two weeks ago.”We’ve been through a number of challenges, but when you lose really good staff like today, it’s really gut-wrenching, and through no fault of their own, there’s a crisis that’s hit everybody,” Eddings said. “To lose 40 really good people is really soul-destroying. So this has been really tough, and saying goodbye to those people is incredibly difficult.”By making these changes it allows us to recommit to community cricket and our high-performance programs. It’s been very important for us to maintain what I call our core products of Sheffield Shield and final, WBBL, the one-day cup.”We had to make some difficult decisions, we had to prioritise some of the programs and pause some, hopefully for no more than 12 months. I really want to apologise to those people, who may be impacted this year. We know how much it means to represent your state and country, and we’ll try to do everything we can to get these programs back online in the foreseeable future.”

The ECB has announced a £61 million financial support package in a bid to ensure that cricket can withstand what chief executive Tom Harrison has described as “the biggest challenge” the governing body has faced in its history.Around £40 million will be made available immediately, with a further £21 million to follow in interest-free loans with a particular focus on ensuring that the game can survive at a recreational level.Harrison warned that there would be “more pain ahead” if the coronavirus pandemic caused the majority of the summer to be wiped out, and also confirmed that:

• Players with central contracts will not be furloughed or asked to take a pay cut
• ECB exploring the possibility of furloughing some staff
• He has volunteered a pay cut believed to amount, in pro rata terms, of over £100,000 a year
• It is “not impossible” that two different England teams (Test and limited-overs) will play simultaneously if fixtures can be squeezed into the back end of the season
• The feasibility of playing behind closed doors in “bio-secure environments” is being explored in talks with the government

ALSO READ: Root expects ‘discussion’ on pay cuts as uncertainty rulesAs things stand, the entire English summer is in some doubt, with social distancing measures likely to remain in place in the UK for several months, and the start date of the county season has already been delayed by six weeks until May 28.Several options are currently being modelled with possible start dates ranging from June to August, as well as the possibility of the entire season being wiped out, while options for games played behind closed doors are being planned. As the most lucrative domestic competitions, the T20 Blast and the Hundred will be prioritised.”This is a real hammer blow to our plans. Our season is massively under threat now,” Harrison said. “It’s an incredibly difficult time for the country and the game.”Everyone will be impacted. Right now we are addressing the short term. There’s more pain ahead if we lose a substantial portion of the season. We are building scenarios where we can take further steps as needed. We don’t think this will be the end of it.”We won’t be playing until we know it is safe for players and eventually fans. We will then be prioritising the most valuable forms of the game: first international cricket, then the Blast and maybe the Hundred as and when we get there.”This money – £40 million in cash for immediate and then £20 million in interest-free loans – is to give certainty in these extremely difficult times. It’s to keep the lights on.”Around £40 million will be made available immediately, with measures including an early release of three months’ county partnership distributions, two years of facilities maintenance distribution, and the suspension of international staging fees – paid by clubs to hold England fixtures at their ground – for four months.A further £21 million will later become available to the recreational game – which is currently suspended indefinitely – through a club cricket support loan scheme, grants through a ‘return to cricket’ scheme, and a 12-month holiday on loan repayments.The ECB also confirmed that international staging fees will be waived if a fixture is not played as scheduled due to COVID-19.The effects of the pandemic have been particularly severe for larger counties with diversified sources of revenue, because a smaller proportion of their income comes from guaranteed ECB funding. The suspension of staging fees, therefore, will come as a relief.Citing contract confidentiality, Harrison declined to provide an update on negotiations with broadcasters and the prospect of their withholding payments. 2020 is the first year in a five-year broadcast deal worth £1.1 billion, which Harrison hailed at the time as a “game-changer”.He accepted the pressures upon broadcasters, however, saying: “All of them are facing challenges themselves. The impact is cross-sector.”But this comes down to relationships and we have very strong relationships with our broadcasters. The best relationships are the ones [in which] you don’t have to pull a contract out. You sit down and you work things out together. That’s what we’re doing.”Getty Images

On the subject of the Hundred, Harrison conceded that the new competition’s inaugural season could yet be delayed until 2021, adding that the ECB was already in discussions with the government about the feasibility of getting crowds back into stadiums before the end of the English season, or failing that, the logistics involved in playing behind closed doors.”Playing behind closed doors – in a bio-secure environment – throws up some challenges,” said Harrison. “David Mahoney [ECB FOO] is leading the cross-sports work with government on this so that we know what behind closed doors means from their perspective and so we can get permission [to play behind closed doors] as soon as we can. The government will control all big events so we will need DCMS approval for any cricket we want to play.”We also need to know what behind closed doors looks like from an event perspective. Do we need to charter flights and book hotels. Whatdo we need to make a sterile environment? It’s more complicated for players coming from overseas and what quarantine restrictions theremight be.”As reported by ESPNcricinfo, it is possible that two different England squads – one Test, one limited-overs – could play in different places at the same time if it allows games to be squeezed in at the end of the summer. Only a handful of players are first-choice across formats, and Australia set a precedent for such a move in 2017.The ECB’s financial relief package made no mention of possible wage cuts for players, and Harrison confirmed: “We are not seeking pay cuts from England players”.ALSO READ: PCA seeks collective solutions as players face prospect of pay cutsCounties were sent advice at the end of last week regarding the furloughing of employees. PCA chief executive Tony Irish said on Monday that he was expecting recommendations or proposals would be presented this week, which would be worked through with players and the ECB in the hope of finding collective agreement.The ECB’s most recent set of accounts identified the “loss of cricket due to events outside of cricket’s control” as a “major risk”, and revealed that the governing body’s cash reserves were down to £11 million, from £73 million in the 2015-16 financial year.But Harrison dismissed criticism of the ECB’s forward planning.”You can normally make business models and forecasts where you might get a 15-20% fall in revenue,” he said. “There are very few businesses that would put a complete drop in revenues to zero on a risk register.”I don’t think there is a big enough reserves pot to anticipate this sort of challenge. And it is important to base any judgement on our reserves policy against the money that has gone into the network: we have a thriving network, a high-performing sport and well-paid players.”

Recovering Hardik Pandya shows encouraging signs of progress at NCA

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2020

Ishant Sharma has been laid low by a grade-three tear in his ankle•BCCI

Ishant Sharma, India’s most experienced fast bowler, will undergo a fitness test on February 15 at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The results will determine whether or not he will join the India Test squad for the two-match series in New Zealand, which starts in Wellington on February 21. The second Test, in Christchurch, will start on February 29.The Indians have a tour game slotted for February 14-16 in Hamilton, and if he is cleared, Sharma will fly straight to Wellington in time for the first Test.On January 21, Sharma – four short of becoming only the second Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev to reach the landmark of 100 Tests – twisted his right ankle while playing for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha at the Feroz Shah Kotla. The injury took place when Sharma turned back to appeal on his follow-through. An official from the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association, based upon an immediate MRI scan, had said the pacer had suffered a Grade 3 tear in his ankle, which put the New Zealand tour in doubt.However, Sharma travelled to the NCA to begin his rehab and has started bowling steadily, allowing the national selectors to include him in the 16-man Test squad for the New Zealand Test series subject to a “fitness clearance”.The Indian team management would hope that Sharma clears the test, considering he has been an integral part of the fast-bowling unit, which has been the backbone of Virat Kohli’s India keeping a firm hold as the No. 1 Test ranking for the past few years.Virat Kohli will definitely want Sharma to link up with the squad, which has Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini as the other frontline pacers, after a below-par performance in the recent ODI series, which New Zealand swept 3-0. Especially worrying for the Indians was the performance of Bumrah, their spearhead, who went wicketless in the three games.Pandya shows encouraging signsOn Wednesday morning, Sharma was spotted alongside team-mate Hardik Pandya at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It was the same ground where Pandya was last seen in action during the T20I against South Africa on September 22 last year. He was declared unfit recently by the BCCI, which said the allrounder needed more time in rehab to recover fully from the back surgery he underwent in October.Today, Pandya did his warm-ups in the company of the NCA medical staff at the ground where his domestic team Baroda started their final round of the group stage of the Ranji Trophy against Karnataka. The extent of his fitness, or his recovery timeframe, aren’t known yet, but that he faced throwdowns in the nets was an encouraging sign.The trademark big-hitting was mostly shelved, with Pandya playing with a straight bat. However, on occasion when the ball was banged in short, he did unleash some full-blooded pull shots. Crucially, Pandya didn’t seem uncomfortable while moving. His footwork was in place and he was jogging around to pick up balls and pass them to the two men who were feeding him throwdowns. While it still didn’t look like a full-intensity batting stint, the fact that he was out in the middle and seemingly untroubled will be good news for the Indian team.

Rangers are believed to be planning a big-money signing alongside the permanent arrival of Fabio Silva in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Rangers want loan deals made permanent

The Gers make the trip to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, well aware that pressure may have been heaped on them by Celtic in the title race.

Victory for their rivals at home to St Johnstone on Saturday would put them one point clear at the top of the table, so Philippe Clement's side will know exactly where they stand as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of exiting the Europa League at the hands of Benfica.

One player who could feature prominently for Rangers this weekend is Silva, who has come in on loan and done a good job so far, scoring four goals in 14 appearances to date. Recent reports have suggested that the Scottish giants are keen on signing the Portuguese on a permanent basis from Wolves at the end of the season, although whether they seal Champions League qualification or not could decide if the funds are available to strike a deal this summer.

Another individual who Rangers reportedly want to tie down permanently is Abdallah Sima, who has been another excellent loan signing, bagging 10 goals in 15 league starts this season.

Brighton are happy to let the 22-year-old leave in the summer window, and he could jump at the chance to move to Ibrox for an extended period of time.

Rangers eyeing big-money signing alongside Silva

According to a new update from Football Insider, Rangers want to sign a new striker this summer, even if Silva completes a permanent move to Ibriox.

The report says that signing is a "number one priority" for the Gers, who want to have "two top forwards" at the club moving forward, providing Clement with plenty of depth in the process. It could be a big signing too if they qualify for the Champions League, which is expected to add £20m to Clement's transfer kitty.

This is a hugely encouraging news for Rangers supporters, with the owners showing real ambition in the transfer market at a time when they have already narrowed the gulf between themselves and Celtic significantly and perhaps even flipped it.

The Gers need to ensure that this season is far from a one-off, however, building a squad that is capable of winning multiple Scottish Premiership titles under Clement, as well as going as far as possible in the Champions League.

Rangers' 10 most expensive signings in history	Cost
1. Tore Andre Flo	£12m
2. Michael Ball	£8.5m
3. Mikel Arteta	£6.9m
4. Arthur Numan	£6.7m
5. Giovanni van Bronckhorst	£6.5m
6. Barry Ferguson	£6.35m
7. Bert Konterman	£6.35m
8. Ryan Kent	£6.31m
9. Michael Mols	£5.6m
10. Gaby Amato	£5.6m

It could even be that the club's all-time transfer record is broken this summer, with Silva, Sima or another addition all having the potential to join for more than the £12m Tore Andre Flo did back in 2000.

Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland is arguably the ideal option to come in, considering the 28-year-old is the top scorer in the league this season with 20 goals – he has six more than anyone else – and he is a boyhood Rangers supporter, having been linked with a move numerous times recently.

Tottenham are now favourites to sign a £50 million attacker, with Spurs talent-spotters identifying him as a fit for Ange Postecoglou's system.

Postecoglou sets sights on improving Spurs squad

The Lilywhites head coach has been pretty honest in his verdict of Spurs' current squad.

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The Australian has overseen a pretty promising debut season in charge of Tottenham, with the mood around N17 significantly changing for the better following Antonio Conte's disastrous final campaign in charge.

Spurs are well and truly in the battle for fourth and subsequent Champions League qualification, all while playing an exciting, fast-paced, high-pressing brand of football which can be very easy on the eye at times.

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 8th

Newcastle United (away)

April 13th

Arsenal (home)

April 28th

However, while there have been positives, Postecoglou is adamant that Spurs need at least three transfer windows before they can be classed among England's elite.

"We've got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don't think we're anywhere near where we want to be. It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's team.

"I certainly don't think we're one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution. Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we've had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then we'll be in a great position."

Reports suggest that Tottenham are likely to sign an attacker this summer, and they've been linked with a wide variety of names out wide, centrally and further forward in the number nine role.

The attacking midfield area will certainly be one to watch, and a star believed to be on Postecoglou's radar is Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White. The Englishman, rumoured to command a £50 million price tag, has impressed at the City Ground with three goals and five assists in 28 league appearances.

Tottenham in "pole position" for Gibbs-White

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are in "pole position" to sign Gibbs-White, and Spurs talent-spotters have identified the Forest star as an "Ange player".

Scouts are said to be very impressed by the 24-year-old's displays, which have alerted the Lilywhites to both his quality and the potential to do a deal later this year. Interestingly, Gibbs-White has also been branded a "leader" for Forest.

"I'm a big fan of his. I think he is always positive, he gets on the half-turn and plays defence-splitting passes," said former Brighton striker Glenn Murray on Match of the Day this month (via BBC Sport).

"He's just always looking to progress the team. He's just always positive. He's got another side to his game – he doesn't shirk his responsibilities and fights back. For me, that's why he has become a really positive leader for Nottingham Forest."