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Arsenal are set to make a third bid for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, who is pushing for a move to the Emirates Stadium, according to a report

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

The Gunners have already had multiple bids for Rice rejected, the most recent of which amounting to £75m plus £15m in add-ons, a club record offer, with Manchester City also now joining the race for his signature.

In the same report, it is detailed that Man City have held talks with the Hammers, although they are yet to lodge a formal offer, as they want assurances that he wants to make the move to the Etihad Stadium before entering negotiations.

Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed "the race remains open", with City making direct contact with the West Ham captain, however all the indications are that he still has his heart set on a move to north London.

According to a report from Football Transfers, the England international is pushing for a move to Arsenal, having already agreed personal terms, and he is likely to make the switch, despite increased movement from Man City in recent weeks.

A third bid is expected in the coming days, which is sure to be closer to West Ham's asking price of £100m, and the Gunners are still in the driving seat for his signature.

How much will Declan Rice cost?

There have been some reports that West Ham could demand as much as £120m for the Englishman this summer, which would make him Arsenal's record signing by a considerable distance, but there are strong indications that he would be worth it.

Hailed as a "terrific player" by manager David Moyes, the West Ham star averaged 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, the joint-third highest amount in the top flight, while he also poses a threat on the front foot.

Moyes has praised the central midfielder for his "power and speed", adding that he has the potential to become a "very good goalscoring midfielder player", and Jack Wilshere previously lauded him as the "best finisher" at West Ham.

Rice still has some work to do before becoming a world-class player, considering he only managed to score four league goals last season, however he has been showing very promising signs, and it is a real boost he is set to choose Arsenal over Man City.

Mohammad Azharuddin has filed his nomination papers and will contest to be president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jan-20171:22

‘I want to start fresh’ – Azharuddin

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin will stand for the president’s post of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. On December 22, a lower court in Hyderabad ordered the HCA elections to take place on January 17.Azharuddin, who filed the nomination papers representing the National Cricket Club on Tuesday morning, said Hyderabad cricket was in the “doldrums” and his aim was to develop a flourishing cricket structure that would produce and retain talent. “I want to serve Hyderabad cricket. It is in doldrums now despite the team making it to the Ranji Trophy semi-finals this year,” Azharuddin told the . “The fact of the matter is that there is no development of the game and there are corruption issues in the HCA. I want to ensure that cricket flourishes in Telangana.”Azharuddin played 99 Tests and scored 6215 runs at an average of 45. He also played 334 ODIs and struck 9378 runs at 36.92 in a career spanning 15 years.Cricket in Hyderabad had taken a backseat with the HCA embroiled in corruption controversies. Deloitte, appointed by the BCCI to carry out an audit of all state associations, presented a diligence report last year and implicated HCA of mismanagement of funds and revealed irregularities and anomalies in the functioning and decision-making.Azharuddin, blamed the current HCA administration, which was headed by his former Hyderabad and India team-mate Arshad Ayub, for the issues with Hyderabad cricket. “I have heard stories of nepotism and corruption in selection. In the under-14, six new players are added to the team after every match. This is shocking.’There is no development of the game and there are corruption issues in the HCA. I want to ensure that cricket flourishes in Telangana’ – Mohammad Azharuddin•Associated Press”Hyderabad lost two very good players to Andhra [Hanuman Vihari] and one went to Bengal [Pragyan Ojha]. How could the HCA allow them to go and play for other states. Cricket sadly has taken a backseat and that is what I want to change,” Azharuddin said.Ayub, having served for more than nine years as HCA office bearer, had to step down as president after the Supreme Court order on January 2. But Ayub said there was confusion over whether Azharuddin could be eligible to run for the president’s post. “As per HCA constitution, Azhar cannot file directly for the president’s post. Firstly he has to file for the executive committee. Once he serves there he has to become an office bearer. Then only he can put in his nomination for the president’s post,” Ayub told ESPNcricinfo.Ayub also said he was uncertain about how the HCA could conduct elections as the Supreme Court was yet to appoint the panel of administrators that would supervise the BCCI. The Supreme Court is expected to do so on January 19. Ayub said although the HCA had told the Lodha Committee that it would implement all the recommendations, the HCA constitution had not yet been amended. “As per our rules we have to conduct two emergent general body meetings to approve the amended constitution. In the first EGM we had decided to adopt the recommendations.”In the second EGM, which has not yet taken place, the HCA is supposed to insert the various clauses from the Lodha Report into its constitution and then approve it.The HCA was also keen to know from the BCCI whether the life ban imposed on Azharuddin for his involvement in match-fixing had been lifted. It is understood that the HCA secretary John Manoj has raised these points in e-mails to the Lodha Committee, which has not yet been responded to.After the 2000 match-fixing investigation conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation found Azharuddin and three others guilty of fixing matches, the BCCI’s disciplinary committee, led by the then board president AC Muthiah, banned him for life on December 5, 2000. According to the CBI, Azharuddin had admitted to accepting large sums of money from Mukesh Gupta, a bookmaker, to under-perform in two matches.Azharuddin, who subsequently moved to politics, challenged the ban but his initial attempts failed. Then, in 2012, a division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court ruled the BCCI ban illegal.Azharuddin, though, said the BCCI ban could not rule him out of the HCA elections. “I don’t think the BCCI ban on me can be an issue in my contesting for a post in HCA. It may be recalled here that the Andhra Pradesh High Court has set aside the ban four years ago. So, I don’t foresee any issue in this regard,” Azharuddin said after filing his nomination papers.

Aston Villa could look to the summer transfer window to bolster the quality in their squad and now a reliable source has revealed a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Aston Villa's interest in Ibrahima Bamba?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa are tracking Vitória Guimarães midfielder Ibrahima Bamba.

Romano revealed on Twitter:

"Ibrahima Bamba will play his final game with Vitória Guimarães today vs Porto, expected to get a big move this summer. ✨🇮🇹 #transfers"

"Aston Villa have been tracking him for long time but nothing agreed yet — there are many clubs keen on Bamba. No talks with Arsenal despite links."

Would Ibrahima Bamba be a good signing for Aston Villa?

After qualifying for European football in the Europa Conference League next season, there is no doubt that Unai Emery will be keen to add more quality and energy to the team to ensure the squad can stay fresh and compete comfortably across all competitions.

As a result, the signing of Bamba could be a great opportunity for the Villa boss to not only bring in a young player with huge potential that can be polished at Villa Park but also provide quality rotation for Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa.

Over 28 Liga Portugal appearances, the 21-year-old ace – hailed as "intriguing" and a "special talent" by Zach Lowy – has tallied up an 84% pass completion rate and won 59% of his duels combined, as well as averaging 1.3 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 4.4 clearances per game, proving that he is a consistent defensive presence.

In fact, Emery could land an upgrade on Konsa with the signing of Bamba as the young centre-back has outperformed the Villa defender in several attributes this season including tackles and interceptions won (99 v 65), ball recoveries (174 v 158), blocks (45 v 40) and tacklers dribbled success rate (77.3% v 69.2%), despite playing nine fewer league games.

Not only could Bamba provide quality depth and strong competition in the centre-back role, but it is also reported that the Italian has a €30m (£26m) release clause, which would be a steal if he could continue to put in consistent defensive performances in the Premier League.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Bamba and should the club secure his services this summer it would be a great opportunity for Emery to develop and polish a young talent who can play a key role in the future at Villa Park.

أنهي حسام المندوه، أمين الصندوق بنادي الزمالك، أزمة أرض الأوقاف، اليوم الإثنين بشكل رسمي، بعد عقد جلسة مع مسؤولي الهيئة.

وعلم “بطولات”، أن الزمالك أنهى أزمة أرض الأوقاف الخاصة بمستحقات حق انتفاع للأرض التي تملكها الهيئة، بفرع النادي بميت عقبة.

وجاء ذلك بعد عقد جلسة بين حسام المندوه أمين الصندوق ومسئولي هيئة الأوقاف وتم الاتفاق على تسوية المستحقات لإنهاء النزاع القضائي بين النادي وأرض الأوقاف.

طالع.. مران الزمالك | جوميز يعقد جلسة مع زيزو.. وانتظام المثلوثي وتصعيد ثنائي من الناشئين

ومن جانب آخر، يستعد الزمالك لمواجهة الإسماعيلي، يوم 19 فبراير الجاري ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ونجح الزمالك في التعاقد مع 10 صفقات جديدة في الميركاتو الشتوي الحالي، بعد حل أزمة إيقاف القيد، وهم عبد الله السعيد – مهاب ياسر- محمد عاطف – ياسر حمد – أحمد حمدي – ترافيس موتيابا – زياد كمال – محمد شحاتة – سيف فاروق جعفر – ناصر ماهر.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a new midfield recruit in the form of Wolverhampton Wanderers captain, Ruben Neves, with the Portuguese playmaker in line for an exit from the Midlands side this summer.

What's the latest on Neves to Man United?

According to Spanish outlet Sport – via Sports Witness – the 26-year-old is said to have received 'important offers' amid the prospect of a departure from Molineux, with the Red Devils seemingly one of the clubs to have made contact with the former Porto ace.

The piece adds that the Old Trafford outfit are 'very interested' in signing the 39-cap maestro ahead of next season, with previous reports having claimed that manager Erik ten Hag is plotting to strengthen his midfield ranks this summer.

This latest report does add, however, that the 5 foot 11 gem – who is said to be valued at £45m with only a year left on his current contract – has his heart set on a move to La Liga giants Barcelona, after almost six years in England.

How would Neves slot in at Man United?

That apparent desire to make the move to Camp Nou could prove a stumbling block in United's hopes of signing Neves, although Ten Hag and co would likely also be able to help the player realise his ambition of playing in the Champions League, with just a point needed to secure their place in the top-four.

If the Carabao Cup winners could persuade the Wolves skipper to make the move to the Theatre of Dreams it could well prove an astute move, with the £50k-per-week ace having been hailed as an "incredible player" by teammate, Hugo Bueno.

The Mozelos native has been instrumental in helping to steer the Old Gold to safety this season after contributing six goals and one assist in 34 league appearances, albeit having particularly caught the eye due to his ball-winning prowess.

The deep-lying asset could well form a destructive and dominant midfield pairing with Casemiro if he was to join the Red Devils this summer, with the Portuguese ace having shown his defensive acumen by averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game this season – a fairly similar record to that of United's Brazilian warrior (3.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions).

That ability to provide an effective screen in front of the back four is also showcased by the fact that the two men are both in the top ten in the division for tackles made this season, with it a truly mouthwatering prospect to think that pair could be working in tandem next term.

With Casemiro already flourishing in Manchester – having been hailed as the "difference-maker" by Ten Hag – the addition of Neves would undoubtedly provide further quality in the centre of the park, helping to form a midfield axis that could well be the envy of the rest of the Premier League.

On the evidence of their respective showings this season for United and Wolves, the tough-tackling duo would certainly prove a difficult test for any opposition.

Arsenal are targeting a centre-back in the summer to provide stronger support for William Saliba, journalist David Ornstein has claimed.

What's going on with Arsenal and Saliba?

Arsenal found themselves struggling to maintain their excellent form this season when Saliba picked up an injury against Sporting CP in the Europa League, with Rob Holding failing to deputise properly for the Frenchman.

January signing Jakub Kiwior replaced Holding as Arsenal returned to winning ways against Chelsea after four games without victory, and with Saliba's injury thought to be severe, it seems that the right centre-back role is one they are targeting in the summer window.

Speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast (10.30), Ornstein claimed that the club will be actively looking to upgrade their depth in the position in order to avoid a similiar drop-off in quality next season.

"Central defence is one that I definitely really think there'll be looking to bring reinforcements in, whether it's a starter or a backup player," he stated.

"I think Rob holding will have a year to go, and despite his clear quality, we've seen in the absence of William Saliba, that it's a bit of a mark down when he's absent."

How can Arsenal reshape their defence?

Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are the first choice centre-backs, and will likely continue to be next season.

Ben White made a successful move to right-back, and he shares the role with Takehiro Tomiyasu. With cover needed for Saliba, a centre-back seems to be the logical signing.

However, there have been previous links with Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda. If the teenager joins, then White or Tomiyasu could move to the centre as cover whenever Saliba is not available, with Fresneda covering the right.

Kiwior will provide cover for Gabriel as a left-footer, and a right-sided defender who can perform to a similar level of Saliba would be ideal.

There have been links with Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, and given that Arsenal have now qualified for the Champions League, they may be able to afford a bigger signing in what is a crucial area of the squad.

Rob Holding will have one year left on his deal, and now he has shown his inability to provide cover at the back, he would ideally be sold after seven seasons at the club. Despite making over 150 apperarances for the club, he has failed to prove himself as a serious option heading into a season where quality depth will be paramount.

Aston Villa are confident they will be able to win the race for AS Roma's Tammy Abraham this summer, despite growing interest in the striker from across Europe, according to a recent report from 90min.

Which strikers could Aston Villa sign this summer?

The Villans may have their work cut out trying to sign Lens striker Lois Openda this summer, as Arsenal are now said to have joined the race for the 23-year-old, who has 18 Ligue 1 goals to his name so far this season.

Former Villa man Gabby Agbonlahor has insisted that Brentford's Ivan Toney is "the striker that Aston Villa need", with the England international now on 20 Premier League goals, however it is his compatriot who has been a long-term target.

Abraham has been linked with a return to Villa Park since last year, and there is seemingly a growing possibility he leaves Roma this summer, amid interest from a number of Europe's top clubs.

According to a report from 90min, Villa are confident they can win the race for the striker in the upcoming window, despite possible interest from the likes of Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

A number of scouts were in attendance to watch Roma's recent 1-1 draw against AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico, in which the 25-year-old scored, and the forward was the "centre of attention" for a plethora of clubs.

In order to win the race for their former loanee, the Villans will need to stump up at least £40m, which would break the club's transfer record.

Should Aston Villa sign Tammy Abraham?

Lauded as "sensational" by members of the media, the £93k-per-week marksman has proven his worth in the Serie A over the past couple of seasons, scoring a remarkable 27 goals in all competitions last term.

Not only that, the London-born attacker is also proven at Premier League level, having netted 15 times for Chelsea in the 2019-20 season.

Although he has not hit the heights of last season during the current campaign, the 11-time England international has recently started to find his form, scoring two goals in his last three games.

With Villa pushing for a place in European competition next season, they will need a partner for Ollie Watkins who can help take them to the next level, and Abraham fits the bill perfectly, having scored the second-highest number of Europa Conference League goals last season.

Talksport pundit Jamie O'Hara has urged Tottenham Hotspur to sell "deadwood" defender Davinson Sanchez after his disastrous recent display.

What's the latest on Davinson Sanchez and Spurs?

The Colombian had a cameo to forget on the weekend as he came off the bench only to be subbed off in Spurs' loss to Bournemouth.

Indeed, the £65k-per-week centre-back came on for the injured Clement Lenglet with Tottenham 1-0 up but the squares were level just three minutes later.

He then didn't cover himself in glory as he inadvertently set up Dominic Solanke to put the Cherries ahead. Manager Christian Stellini then took him off, meaning Sanchez' cameo lasted just 23 minutes.

In what was a pretty sorry sight, the home crowd booed the struggling player during his time on the pitch but the criticism doesn't seem to have eased up.

Indeed, while speaking about Sanchez on Talksport, O'Hara insisted that Spurs just had to get him sold in the summer.

He said (2:58): “He's had too many chances. He just isn't good enough. Now, do we have anyone else? I don't know.

"Like, is there anyone else in the youth team, or younger, to give an opportunity to? Maybe…

"But next season, he can't be at Tottenham. We have to get rid of all the deadwood. Get rid of the lot of them. The bad players, get them out the door.”

Will Sanchez leave Spurs this summer?

It's not hard to see why some fans have lost patience with Sanchez after his disaster class on the weekend.

Journalist Alasdair Gold summed up events well. Indeed, after handing the defender a 2/10 in his player ratings for football.london, he wrote: "A day to forget for the Colombian. Replaced Lenglet and had a shaky touch before passing to Porro in the build-up to Bournemouth's equaliser.

"He was then turned too easily for the second, only managing to poke the ball to Solanke to score. The crowd booed his touches after that and then Stellini replaced him with Danjuma."

When the 26-year-old arrived from Ajax in 2017, the transfer was actually reported to be a club-record fee in the region of £42m.

Seeing as he is now being referred to as "deadwood" and being booed by his own fans. It's probably safe to say he hasn't been worth the money.

In fact, journalist Kevin Palmer actually called Sanchez "one of their most expensive mistakes", which tells you all you need to know.

It will be interesting to see if Spurs can sell him this summer, with his contract up in 2024.

Chelsea have been poor this season, despite the lucrative expenditure on the transfer front over the past year, with the west London outfit languishing in mid-table mediocrity and out of both domestic cup competitions.

Graham Potter replaced previous manager Thomas Tuchel in the early phases of the campaign with the Premier League club on a downward trend, but fortunes have only recently seen sunlight after a wretched run of form.

The Blues had won three successive matches, and clinched qualification to the Champions League quarter-finals, where holding champions Real Madrid await, before Everton snatched a draw at Stamford Bridge before the international break, with the Toffees' homegrown talent Ellis Simms scoring a brutish goal to restore parity.

Simms' strike was a reminder of the impact youth can have, with some of the Premier League's greatest current gems graduates of respective youth academies – Phil Foden dazzles for Manchester City after plying his formative years at the club, the same can be said for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold; the most arresting individual at present, however, is surely Arsenal sensation Bukayo Saka, who has been integral in his side's title-chasing campaign.

Drawing comparisons to the Gunners' prodigy, Cobham starlet Tudor Mendel-Idowu is pushing for an increase in responsibility at Chelsea, flourishing at youth level.

Who is Tudor Mendel-Idowu?

Mendel-Idowu is the encapsulation of precocity; a Kings Scholar at the prestigious Eton Academy, the 18-year-old has also been riding the crest of a wave throughout his maiden footballing years, signing for Chelsea's academy when was a child and hailed as "talented" and a winger who "possesses great dribbling ability and is often in the right places to score goals" by the club's official website.

Often utilised as a central attacking midfielder or on the right flank, the burgeoning star has been in emphatic form this season, scoring four goals and supplying two assists from nine displays in the U18 Premier League and making an appearance in the EFL Trophy, coming off the bench against League One outfit Peterborough United.

Dubbed a "remarkable" prospect by Chelsea writer Matt Addison, Mendel-Idowu looks a genuine prospect for Potter to consider, nurturing his skills over the next few years and emulating established stars such as Reece James, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham in graduating from the side's youth ranks.

Having scored three goals from four appearances for England U17s, the fleet-footed dynamo is on the way to prominence on the professional scene, especially after indeed bearing a semblance to the imperious Saka, with one writer saying "Chelsea already have their own Bukayo Saka" when talking of the Cobham ace.

Saka rose through the ranks at Arsenal's Hale End academy before emerging as a prominent and paramount component of Mikel Arteta's system, having made 169 appearances and scoring 36 goals and 39 assists, winning the FA Cup and now en route to clinching Premier League glory.

This season, with Arsenal atop the Premier League table, the 22-year-old has scored 12 goals and supplied ten assists from 28 appearances, hailed as "electric" by Statman Dave and is valued at £106m by CIES Football Observatory, one of the most coveted gems in world football.

If Chelsea provides a similar platform for their nimble star, he could emulate Saka's career and cement himself as one of the Premier League's biggest stars in a matter of years.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes will be ‘fine’ for the Premier League game vs Manchester City this afternoon, according to Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Magpies suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final last weekend where the result wasn’t the only negative to occur from that day.

The Brazilian was forced off the pitch on 79 minutes with an ankle injury after being consulted by medics, causing concern among supporters that it may have been something serious.

However, the boss has now firmly put minds at ease in a welcomed update…

The Latest: Guimaraes fitness update

Speaking during his Friday pre-match press conference, Howe confirmed that Guimaraes will be available for selection to face Pep Guardiola’s side.

As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:

“Bruno is fine. I think he was in a bit of short-term pain but nothing that has impacted his training week.

“Off the top of my head, there are no other injuries.”

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The Verdict: Boost for Howe

Guimaraes has been Newcastle’s overall second top-performing player this season so it’ll be a huge boost for Howe to have him at his disposal vs Man City.

The St. James’ Park talisman currently averages 2.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per top-flight game, as per WhoScored, but can also have an offensive impact in the final third.

The Rio de Janeiro native has posted seven goal contributions in 25 appearances across all competitions this term and ranks in the 95th percentile for most successful take-ons.

Finally, Guimaraes has been dubbed a ‘leader’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and him being back out on the pitch will only increase his team’s chances of picking up a result.