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Tottenham Hotspur are laying the groundwork over a deal to sign Alex Scott, according to reports…

What’s the latest on Alex Scott to Spurs?

Football Insider has claimed that scouts at the north London outfit have recommended the 19-year-old midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window, with fears that multiple Premier League teams will look to target him.

Spurs had representatives at Bristol City’s recent 1-0 win over Norwich City and have watched him for some time.

The Championship side slapped a £25m price tag on his signature during the recent January window.

Is Scott the next Jack Grealish?

Scott has emerged as a key player for the Robins in recent seasons, despite his young age. This season, the teenager has remarkably only missed one Championship outing, starting 30 matches in central midfield.

The maestro – who can play as a no.6, no.8 and a no.10 – has been dubbed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ for both his playing style and appearance, with him proving to be a big influence in the final third having provided five assists already this term.

City’s rising starlet has quick feet, a deft touch and can quickly transition play from defence to attack – when compared to other attacking midfielders across FBref’s next eight divisions, he ranks inside the top 3% for all of the following metrics: tackles (2.47), interceptions (1.12), blocks (1.58) and clearances (1.38) per 90.

Clearly, he can do pretty much anything to help his side, which is perhaps why his former youth coach Brian Tinnion once claimed that: “His work rate and his desire to learn has been unbelievable.”

More recently, his current boss Nigel Pearson heaped further praise on his qualities (via BristolLive).

“He’s just a very unique talent and he’s got a very impressive temperament. I think he’s destined for the very top,” he said before adding: “Alex Scott will continue to progress and be a top player. He also knows he has the humility that he has to do it for us while he is here and he just enjoys playing football.”

Grealish’s big ‘come-up’ came in the Championship, so it’s easy to see why so many have made the comparison between Scott and the former Aston Villa star, so given the evidence above, Spurs would certainly be getting an exciting talent for the long-term future and perhaps one that could make an impact sooner rather than later.

In the Robins gem, Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici could well secure the next Grealish for the club, especially considering they nearly signed the original back in 2018.

AND in other news, Spurs could find dream Son heir in “unbelievable” £22m-rated gem who terrorised Porro…

Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol has shared who’s been ‘pushing hardest’ for Man City’s recent alleged charges from the Premier League.

The Lowdown: City accused…

The Sky Blues are alleged to have broken over 100 league rules by England’s top flight with the governing body announcing their accusations on Monday morning.

City were ‘surprised’ by the development with some sources around the club maintaining their ‘confident’ position.

This comes nearly three years after UEFA attempted to ban City from the Champions League for two years with that punishment eventually rescinded by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Latest: Solhekol shares who’s been ‘pushing hardest’…

Speaking on Sky Sports News, reporter Solhekol has shared who’s been ‘pushing hardest’ for these charges against Pep Guardiola’s side.

He explained:

“I’ve also been told, up to now, until yesterday, the clubs who’d been pushing hardest for these charges to be brought were some of the other members of the so-called big six.

“That’s not surprising, that Manchester City’s rivals would be looking for any kind of advantage that they could get.”

The Verdict: Crucial few months…

It’s perhaps inevitable that domestic rivals have been attempting to discredit City whilst ‘pushing hardest’ for the accusations against them.

The current league champions have looked near-unstoppable when at their best over the last few seasons, and before Arsenal recently, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Guardiola’s side could go on to dominate for years.

City narrowly beat rivals Liverpool to the title on the final day of last season with Ilkay Gundogan’s dramatic late comeback winner sealing a second-successive domestic crown.

The Blues have been imperious in recent seasons, potentially leading to rival club officials pushing even harder for these charges to be brought against City.

Until a final verdict is reached in court over the allegations, it appears City are set for a battle with both the league and its other biggest clubs.

Arsenal are still following Montpellier striker Elye Wahi for a potential swoop, according to a reports from France.

The Lowdown: Wahi targeted by Arsenal

It was reported at the beginning of the month that the Gunners were eyeing the 20-year-old as a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus, although Eddie Nketiah has performed very well in the Brazilian’s absence, scoring six goals since Christmas.

Everton have also been credited with an interest in recent weeks (as reported by Media Foot), with the Toffees said to be strongly considering a bid, and there is now a growing list of potential suitors…

The Latest: Arsenal still following Wahi

According to Foot Mercato, the Gunners are still following the ‘very coveted’ striker, while Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Juventus are also considering moves for the 20-year-old.

The report goes on to state that Montpellier value their prized asset at more than €30m (£26m) and they have no plans to let him leave this month, while the player is also believed to be settled.

The Verdict: Worth it?

Nketiah has defied expectations and done very well while Jesus has been on the treatment table, scoring four goals in his last five Premier League games. Therefore, Mikel Arteta does not necessarily need Wahi, but the youngster is showing signs that he could be a fantastic long-term prospect.

Hailed as ‘very impressive’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, the starlet is putting in performances beyond his years in Ligue 1 this season, scoring seven times in 18 outings, the joint-highest goal tally of any Montpellier player.

The forward is still quite raw, with some fundamental parts of his game still to develop. That is indicated by his return match average of just 0.04 assists per game over the course of the past year, placing him way below average compared to other strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.

However, the most crucial part of any striker’s game is their ability to put the ball in the the net, and he is already doing that in abundance.

Aston Villa will host Stevenage at Villa Park this afternoon in their FA Cup third-round clash and Unai Emery will be hoping to continue to transform the team’s fate by progressing to the next round of the competition.

The former Villarreal boss has picked up points in four of his first six games since taking over from Steven Gerrard in November but was knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester United, so there is no doubt Emery will want to give the Villa supporters hope of silverware with a successful performance today.

In terms of injuries, John McGinn is currently being assessed for a thigh problem and Diego Carlos continues his recovery from a long-term injury that has seen him unavailable since August.

However, Villa are poised to welcome back Jacob Ramsey as Emery suggested in his pre-match press conference that the young midfielder could be back in contention.

With that in mind, this is how Football FanCast predicts Aston Villa will line up against Stevenage…
Robin Olsen (GK), Ludwig Augustinsson (LB), Tyrone Mings (CB), Calum Chambers (CB), Matty Cash (RB), Leander Dendoncker (CM), Jacob Ramsey (CM), Morgan Sanson (CM), Danny Ings (ST), Leon Bailey (RW), Philippe Coutinho (LW).
We expect to see eight changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week, with Emery mixing first-team experience with fringe players who are rarely seen in the Villa starting XI.
The first three changes we predict to see are Ludwig Augustinsson and Calum Chambers joining Matty Cash and Tyrone Mings in the back four this afternoon, with Cash moving back into his right-back position to replace Ashley Young, Augustinsson getting the nod over Lucas Digne and Chambers replacing Ezri Konsa.
In midfield, we expect to see a full transformation with Ramsey reprising his role ahead of Emi Buendia after returning from injury, and he features alongside Leander Dendoncker and Morgan Sanson.
In the final third, Leon Bailey keeps his spot in the starting side with Philippe Coutinho joining the Jamaican forward in the front three, whilst Danny Ings comes into the team in the final change to the attacking threat.
Ings will replace Watkins with Emery likely to rest the £75k-per-week forward – who was hailed a “top player” by Michael Owen – by taking advantage of his quality rotation in the centre-forward position.
The eighth and final change we predict is Robin Olsen coming in for Emi Martinez as Emery will surely want to reward the ‘keeper for his contributions when the World Cup winner was unavailable due to the celebrations that followed.

Manchester City return to domestic action on Thursday evening as they take on Premier League rivals Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

Pep Guardiola is set to be without a large amount of his squad for the game at the Etihad as a number of first-team players are yet to return after participating in the World Cup in Qatar.

This could force the Spanish manager to select a much-changed outfit against Jurgen Klopp’s side on Thursday evening, with several academy players in line for a senior appearance.

Here is how Football FanCast expects City to line up against Liverpool.

It features six changes from the side that lost against Brentford in their last game before the international break.

Although Ederson was second-choice for Brazil’s run to the quarter-finals, it seems likely that Stefan Ortega will get the nod against Liverpool to start in between the sticks.

With Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker both likely to be unavailable, Rico Lewis starts at right-back, with Sergio Gomez on the opposite flank.

Although all of City’s senior centre-back options would reach the knockout stages in Qatar, it seems likely that at least one will start against a dangerous Liverpool attack, so Aymeric Laporte partners Jadel Katongo in the heart of the defence.

In midfield, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne have all returned to training after relatively early exits in Qatar, so they keep their places at the Etihad.

They support wingers Riyad Mahrez, who should be raring to go after Algeria missed out on a World Cup spot, and Cole Palmer, with the “special” academy talent no doubt looking to emulate Phil Foden by making an impression in the first team against such esteemed opposition.

Finally, there are no prizes for guessing who starts up front, as Erling Haaland should be fully fit after recovering from the knock that sidelined him ahead of the international break, while Julian Alvarez will still be celebrating Argentina’s success.

Manchester City star Jack Grealish will not be sold in the near future despite the rumours about replacing him, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Grealish’s future

It has been reported by Football Insider that Man City would be willing to sell Grealish to fund their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

With the former Aston Villa man only arriving at the Etihad Stadium last summer in a British-record £100m deal, it would surely be a premature departure if he were to be sold already, and Jones has now given an update on whether this is likely to be the case…

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones tells GIVEMESPORT that the Englishman will not be leaving at this early stage, despite a difficult start to his City career:

“I just see no chance of Man City actually looking to cash in on Jack Grealish at this point. I know that he probably hasn’t transitioned into the team as well as you might have hoped in terms of stats, in terms of maybe even minutes.

“But it was a really big signing for them, and it’s a player that Pep Guardiola really has spoken about with great admiration and great hope. And it’s not very often Man City quickly turn their back on someone.”

The Verdict: Too soon?

While it is true that the 27-year-old has not recorded the best numbers for the Sky Blues up to this point, registering six goal contributions in 26 appearances last season, Pep Guardiola should give him more time to replicate his Villa form.

Jamie O’Hara has previously lauded the £300k-per-week earner as being ‘world-class’, and he has shown this in glimpses for City, starring in a 3-0 away win at Wolves earlier this season ,with a goal and an 8.1 SofaScore rating, the highest received by any player.

Hia manager has also been keen to stress that goals and assists are not the be-all-and-end-all for the maestro, saying:

“We didn’t sign for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was another reason and when he played he did it. I want [him] to make goals and assists and he does too. But it’s not about that, it’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones.”

As such, Grealish is still playing his part in the Man City team, even if he is not recording the same sort of numbers as the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden, and Guardiola should at least give him until the end of the season before making any hasty decisions.

Tottenham Hotspur have ramped up their efforts to sign Mohammed Kudus ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercato.it claim that the north London outfit have been monitoring the Ghana sensation for several weeks and some at the club believe signing the Ajax star would help keep manager Antonio Conte at the club for a little longer.

It’s thought that it could come down to whether or not Spurs qualify for the Champions League, a minimum requirement set by Kudus for his next move, despite coming close to signing for Premier League rivals Everton during the summer.

Other reports have suggested that a bid of around £30m would make it hard for the Eredivisie giants to turn down at the turn of the year.

Dream Kulusevski alternative

A new frontline option seems pretty high on the agenda for Conte right now as he looks to see more consistency from his side across the Premier League and Champions League.

At times, Spurs have looked unbeatable but there have been a few occasions where they have looked outfought and defeated, particularly during Dejan Kulusevski’s absence.

His impact at the Lilywhites has been undoubted since his arrival last January and he, alongside Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, have largely been Conte’s best front three. Summer signing Richarlison has proven to be a versatile rotation option but it’s still not enough, which is where Kudus comes in.

The 22-year-old, who can play in midfield, out wide and up top, enjoyed a phenomenal group stage campaign at the World Cup to continue his fine domestic form this term, where he has scored ten goals and laid on a further two assists across 21 outings, via Transfermarkt.

Kudus didn’t register a Sofascore rating of below 7.4 despite the Black Stars only winning one of their three games in Qatar. He completed more take-ons than anyone else in the group stage, on top of his two goals.

Once lauded as a “special talent”, the Ghanian attacker could be exactly what Conte needs when he looks for a plan B to the dynamic Swede and given the youngster’s recent form – on both the domestic and international stage – and his versatility, there couldn’t be a more dream candidate out there.

AND in other news, Spurs could eclipse Son signing by swooping for “sensational” £70m World Cup “monster”…

Many of the top casinos and their partners are heavily involved in managing sports teams, especially when it comes to football clubs. For some of the fans in the sport, it gives the opportunity to bet on some big-time transfers that happen in the football world.

Some of the busiest times are during the summer transfers that happen in July and August,  gamblers will gain some insight from the analysis into how potential transfers could happen and also some recommendations for odds. This is a big driver for the continued partnerships between these operators and football clubs. What follows are some insights into the clubs that are heavily involved in Online Casino sponsorships.

Pros and Cons

Many critics have set out their concerns over the types of collaborations in the industry especially surrounding gambling addictions. In the past years even been some sanctions on UK clubs allowing players to wear shirts with known gambling companies. Yet the casinos have always been cautious around this by enforcing policies on responsible gambling and ensuring compliance.

Some of the pros for this include that government can tax these partnerships to improve the economy for the better. These types of partnerships can also greatly benefit the development of the teams as well as the social obligations that get carried out. Some of the cons include promoting gambling and the increased tendency of addiction.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid can rightly be seen as one of the best soccer clubs on the European continent. They have been the winner of the UEFA Champions League as well as La Liga, among many other international cups. The club is being backed by a Russian online casino operator, With promotions executed via social media and targeted incentives.

AC Milan

AC Milan is a seven-time winner of the Champions League with records in the local league as well. In the wake of the great success, they have been proposed by several internet gambling sites to feature as a headline sponsor.

The team has connections with HappyBet, FonBet, Betsson, and other bookmakers as well-known clubs. Each of these gaming businesses enjoys a strong reputation in a variety of fields.

Manchester City

As the current reigning champion of the English Premier League, Manchester City also welcomes sponsorships from top internet casinos. Man City is currently backed by one of the well-known sports bet operators and has enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership for the last two years. 8XBet Is currently the official partner of this winning Football Club,  this Asian bookmaker has a reputation for having anti-match-fixing systems in place with different organisations across the globe.

The future of this combination is still bright, even though the positive relationship between gambling sites and several EPL soccer teams was damaged by a ban. These clubs are not the only businesses supported by gaming firms.

Since more nations and jurisdictions are now authorising and regulating internet gambling, we anticipate that these types of relationships will become much more powerful in the years to come.

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Yorkshire’s victory from a parlous position at Hove last week caused their coach, Andrew Gale, to praise their character and resilience. If they repeat the feat against Northants at Headingley then similar acclamation will surely follow. Why, Yorkshire grit might even get a mention.Yorkshire are slight favourites, with Northants 94 for 4 in pursuit of 220, but it is foolhardy to suggest as much. If the Headingley Cricketing Gods get the slightest indication that victory is already being anticipated then expect the sun to shine, the pitch to play with monotonous predictability and Northants to scoot home soon after lunch. This not a ground on which you get ahead of yourself.What is abundantly clear is that, for the second successive week, Yorkshire are involved in an engrossing contest that has shown Championship cricket at its best. That is partly due to Yorkshire’s batting frailties – and that vulnerability remains – but largely because both surfaces, whether encouraging spin or seam, have provided a balance between bat and ball. Northants, like Sussex, have been worthy opponents.Related

• Alex Davies salvo sets up Lancashire chase after Sussex squander sizeable lead

• Overton five-for brings Somerset back into contention

• Chris Wright seven-for keeps Leicestershire in victory pursuit

Spare me this contention that the prime duty of the Championship is to produce utterly flat pitches so potential Test cricketers can learn to concentrate. If you want England batters to learn to concentrate, try mindfulness, memory tests or get them to read a book or two.Northants, like Sussex, have exchanged punch for punch, but their chances diminished the moment their one batter of true quality, the South African Ricardo Vasconcelos, ran himself out for 41 when he pushed the ball to David Willey’s left-hand at mid-on and was beaten by a direct hit. If anybody can be forgiven a momentary misjudgement, perhaps someone fulfilling the role of opening batter, wicketkeeper and captain could.Two other wickets fell in successive balls to Jordan Thompson, inswingers at the end of his first over and start of his second removing Ben Curran and Charlie Thurston. He has taken the new ball in this match and he has barely wasted a delivery. Combative with bat and ball, at 24, he is coming into his own. Gale’s message that he is “my type of cricketer” will find nods of agreement from a growing number.At 43 for 3 overnight, only 15 runs on, Yorkshire clearly had their work cut out to fashion a victory that would maintain their unbeaten record. That they made 247 in the toughest batting conditions of the match would have given them considerable satisfaction.Northants’ chief threat rested with the South African Wayne Parnell who took five wickets in an innings for the second time to finish with match figures of 10 for 143. Plus most of the 31 byes, of course, because at regular intervals Northants’ aggrieved stand-in wicketkeeper Vasconcelos was left sprawling in the dirt, rising more slowly on each occasion, sometimes with hands on hips in exasperation at lavish late swing.This was only Parnell’s second career 10-wicket haul, which, at 31, is quite a surprise, because when the ball swings, he is quite a handful. He quickly removed the left-handed Gary Ballance with an outswinger and in his following over, picked off the nightwatchman, Steve Patterson.In one of Parnell’s most wayward overs, Johnny Tattersall picked the ball of his pads for 14. But Tattersall, who had played soundly, then deflected a back-of-a-length delivery from Taylor to the keeper, giving Tom Taylor his only wicket of the match. Yorkshire were 86 for 6 and in the mire, but they don’t just bat deep, they bat deep with considerable nous.Partnerships of 59 in 17 from Dom Bess and Harry Brook for the seventh wicket and and 65 in 19 for the ninth wicket between Thompson and Willey underlined that Yorkshire’s lower orders were not spooked by the moving ball, and Northants’ seamers could not quite sustain the pressure. All made between 37 and 41 in a concerted team response.Presumably Brook’s pronounced back and across movement has been influenced by Ballance, whose shift deep into his crease before the bowler delivers caused such debate during his England career. Slightly-built, Brook cuts a fretful figure at the crease, an exhausting collection of short walks, tugs of kit and head jerks: one wonders, looking at that substantial trigger movement, if he can quite spare the calories. Bess, by contrast, stands still and ruminates. Both, in their own way, began the fightback.Brooke might have fallen to Taylor on 23, but Vasconcelos dived over one. Instead, he fell to the first ball he received after lunch, another victim for Parnell, who drew him into driving at a wide one.The appearance of Simon Kerrigan’s left-arm spin was a sign that Northants needed to block an end in case they needed a second new ball. When the ball was brought on for the umpires in case they needed it, it must have reminded Willey that, at nine down, he needed to up the tempo.Three successive sixes against Gareth Berg took Yorkshire’s lead beyond 200. Yorkshire grit, if Northampton born. The last of the sixes appeared to damage the “R” in Yorkshire on the electronic scoreboard, so Gale should be particularly careful about talking about Willey’s “Yorkshire grit” in case they try to put his words up on the big screen…

Leeds United will need to end a near 20-year hoodoo if they are to end their poor run of form in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Whites welcome table-topping Arsenal to Elland Road later today, a side they have not defeated since 2003 and one that in more recent times has completely dominated them on the pitch.

Jesse Marsch is facing plenty of selection dilemmas as his side are winless in five outings, the last coming at Stamford Bridge in late August, where the Yorkshire giants stunned Chelsea with a 3-0 victory.

After a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend, it will be interesting to see if the American head coach tinkers with his starting lineup at all, so here’s what we are predicting ahead of kick-off…

Illan Meslier is Leeds’ no.1 and nothing should change there. However, his backline could see the first switch as vice-captain Luke Ayling takes the place of Rasmus Kristensen at right-back.

The £35k-per-week star joins fellow stalwart and captain Liam Cooper, as well as Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk – favoured over Junior Firpo at left-back – in defence.

Ex-Gunners graduate Ayling hasn’t started a Premier League fixture since the red card incident in this very fixture last season that saw him branded as “disgusting” and as an “idiot” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, as well as “disgraceful” by talkSPORT’s Alex Crook.

A two-man midfield base of Marc Roca and Tyler Adams isn’t going to change anytime soon, especially with Adam Forshaw on the treatment table but further up the pitch, the former RB Salzburg boss has a tough call to make.

Luis Sinisterra is available once again after suspension, so he could come straight back in on the right flank in the second and final change from last Sunday. This would cause a little shuffle as it means Brenden Aaronson returns to a central role, with Rodrigo reverting back to his position as a no.9.

Jack Harrison also keeps his place on the left flank, meaning it’s Patrick Bamford who makes way upfront after a “rusty” display against the Eagles.

Predicted Leeds XI (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Struijk, Cooper, Koch, Ayling; Roca, Adams; Harrison, Aaronson, Sinisterra; Rodrigo

AND in other news, Marsch must brutally axe “rusty” £35k-p/w lightweight today, he’s holding Leeds back…