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Wolves youngster Dion Sanderson is set to be recalled from his loan spell at Championship side Birmingham City, according to journalist John Percy.

The Lowdown: Sanderson shines on loan

The 22-year-old moved to the Blues on a temporary basis last summer in order to earn regular playing time outside of the Premier League.

Sanderson has impressed during his time at St Andrew’s, making 14 Championship starts and winning 2.4 aerial duels per game – only Romain Saiss with 2.6 has bettered that figure at Molineux this term.

While the young defender was expected to be on loan at Birmingham for the entirety of the 2021/22 season, it now looks as though that won’t be the case.

The Latest: Youngster set for Wolves return

According to The Telegraph’s Percy, who shared a link to his article via Twitter, Sanderson will be recalled imminently in order to bolster the depth in Bruno Lage’s squad between now and the end of the campaign.

The defender has just one first-team appearance to his name for Wolves, which came against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup back in 2019/20.

The Verdict: Sensible move

With Saiss now on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Morocco, it makes perfect sense for Lage to bring Sanderson back into the fold, with the youngster hailed as ‘an absolute Rolls-Royce’ by Sunderland manager Lee Johnson during an impressive loan spell at the Stadium of Light last season.

Whether or not he is thrown straight into the team remains to be seen – it would perhaps be a surprise if he is, given his total lack of Premier League experience – but it is vital to have defensive cover.

It could even be the case that Lage goes to a back four for a few weeks rather than his favoured three, which would see Max Kilman and Conor Coady partnering one another in defence. It would be a big change in formation, though, making it a risk at a key point in the season.

In other news, Luke Hatfield has made a key Wolves transfer claim. Read more here.

Crystal Palace have been enjoying a comfortable season so far, with the appointment of Patrick Vieira and his summer signings making an impact in the right direction for the club, and in his second transfer window at Selhurst Park, the manager could be set to make another astute signing.

What’s the word?

Journalist Tom Barclay, has weighed in on the potential signing of Eddie Nketiah by Palace during the January transfer window, giving his perspective on the likelihood of the player joining the Eagles

Speaking to Give Me Sport, he said: “I think they’re still very much keen on him but it might be quite a tricky signing for them.”

The £17k-p/w striker has been linked with a move to Selhurst Park since the transfer window opened last weekend, but there are other clubs interested, with both Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen rumoured to be competing for the 22-year-old.

Fans will be buzzing

Vieira has changed the age profile of the Palace squad in his short time, with the club adding a number of young players during his time at the helm. Conor Gallagher (21) and Odsonne Edouard (23) are perfect examples of signings who have had a positive impact on the team this season.

Adding another young player into the mix to integrate into the side should surely put the club in good stead to build a team at Selhurst Park with a promising long-term future.

Some Eagles fans have already taken to social media to give their thoughts on the potential signing of Nketiah and how his prospective addition would be good for the team given the current competition in attack. With Christian Benteke and Jordan Ayew both 30 or older, and Jean-Philippe Mateta on the verge of leaving south London, centre-forward is a position where Vieira should indeed be looking to strengthen.

The Arsenal youngster has not had a chance to make a big impact on their Premier League campaign, with only three top-flight appearances this season. However, he has made the most of his game-time in the Carabao Cup, with five goals in just three matches helping Mikel Arteta’s side to reach the semi-finals.

Vieira will be hoping to give Nketiah a reason to join Palace by getting the better of Milwall tomorrow in the FA Cup and offering an attractive prospect for the youngster to become an integral part of a potential cup run at Selhurst Park.

Given the 22-year-old’s form in domestic cup fare already this term, the prospect of replicating that for the Eagles could have the Palace faithful buzzing with excitement.

In other news: Vieira could make his first big Palace mistake with this transfer target

Tottenham Hotspur could seal their best signing since Heung-min Son following an exciting claim from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The north London outfit are in desperate need of fresh additions this month, certainly if Antonio Conte is to stand a chance at reviving this sinking ship.

Given his tactical system – primarily deploying three-at-the-back – he needs further reinforcements to his backline, where left-back Ben Davies has been plugging a gap and the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga have had to be trusted.

One player that Spurs appear keen on is Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who rejected a move to the club during the summer window but back then, it was the underwhelming Nuno Santo in charge – rather than the trophy-laden Italian.

And Romano believes their interest is something to keep an eye on heading into deadline day in a little under two weeks time.

“Let’s see what happens with a centre-back. Tottenham want to sign a new centre-back in January. Pau Torres has always been on their list since last summer, but Villarreal have no intention to let him leave in January,” he told the ‘Here We Go’ podcast last week.

Torres’ desire may well hinge on any sort of Champions League involvement but Spurs are firmly in the race for a top-four finish and that could well be achieved with the Spaniard’s arrival.

He played an integral role for former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at the Yellow Submarines as they defeated Manchester United to clinch the Europa League title last season.

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Meanwhile, domestically, the 25-year-old colossus ranked as their fourth-best player (6.76) in La Liga last season. Across 33 starts, he proved to be an excellent ball-playing option by averaging an 87.8% passing accuracy and 0.8 dribbles per game, as per WhoScored.

“When he was small you could see he had an extraordinary talent to construct the play, I even played him for a few games in midfield, but he told me he was more comfortable at the back. Bit by bit he picked up more intensity, more strength, becoming more physical and he kept developing,” once claimed his former youth coach, ex-Villarreal midfielder Javi Calleja.

His profile is exactly the sort of one that Conte would love in his backline – an aggressive but astute on-the-ball beast to pair alongside summer signing Cristian Romero and Eric Dier.

As such, any move for Torres would surely excite the manager and fanbase alike. He’d be such a necessary addition that it could well equal the arrival of Son, who has quickly become one of Tottenham’s most reliable players over the years.

Fabio Paratici and co must seal a move for the £45m-rated Villarreal star at all costs this month.

AND in other news, “I understand..”: Sky Sports reporter drops transfer claim that’ll anger Spurs fans…

The ex-Barcelona man did what he does best, helping the Herons escape Los Angeles with a shocking draw

It had to be him, didn't it? For 90 minutes, Inter Miami deserved a whole lot of nothing from their visit to the LA Galaxy on Sunday night. That was the first 90, though. As it turned out, Lionel Messi was simply waiting for minute 92.

The Argentine was the hero, of course. His 92nd-minute goal helped Miami steal a point that few would say they deserved. Combining with Jordi Alba, Messi turned back the clocks with a fantastic last-gasp finish to stun a Galaxy team that had so, so many chances to put this game away.

Dejan Jovelic scored LA's lone goal, and it's a wonder that it was the only one. Riqui Puig saw his penalty kick saved by Drake Callender, who created miracles to keep the Galaxy from more. He faced 23 shots during the match, but only one slipped in one as Jovelic was left free to tap-in on the back post in the 75th minute.

From there, though, things slowly started to go Miami's way. Marco Delgado's 87th-minute second yellow card was the start of it all, a questionable call at best, that helped turn the game. From that moment forward, Miami had a chance, and Messi ultimately made the most of it.

Despite the result, the Herons looked clearly frustrated after the final whistle. They were played off the field for much of this one but, somehow, stole a point anyway. That's what Messi can do – and at the end of the day, having the Argentine in your XI remains a cheat code.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Dignity Health Sports Park…

USA Today Sports Goalkeeper & Defense

Drake Callender (9/10):

The clear Man of the Match for Miami. Absolutely fantastic in goal, making several key stops in addition to the one on Puig from the penalty spot.

Jordi Alba (8/10):

Did his thing on the left throughout before finally setting up Messi's equalizer. A connection we've seen a thousand times, and one that saved Miami in a big way on Sunday night.

Tomas Aviles (6/10):

Did his job defensively and moved the ball well. Much more solid than he was in the opener.

Serhiy Kryvtsov (6/10):

Lack of pace was exposed a few times, but he held his own mostly. Could have been a bit more aware on the goal, though.

DeAndre Yedlin (6/10):

Couldn't quite get going and had one bad foul in the second half. Overall, nothing too special.

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Julian Gressel (4/10):

Just hasn't looked himself yet this season. Pressure is only going to turn up on a player who can help this Miami team, even if he hasn't done much of that yet.

Sergio Busquets (4/10):

Didn't look anything like the player we've all watched for so long. Conceded the penalty and looked a bit slow all game, physically and mentally.

Diego Gomez (6/10):

Far and away the best in the midfield three, but that isn't saying much. Actually had a decent game which looked much, much better when compared to those around him.

USA Today Sports Attack

Robert Taylor (5/10):

Never got into the game, taking just 25 touches before being taken out 22 minutes in to the second half.

Luis Suarez (4/10):

It's almost like it wasn't a good idea to play someone with Suarez's knees after a cross-country trip on short rest. Looked totally off the pace before being mercifully subbed out.

Lionel Messi (8/10):

It had to be him, huh? Relatively quiet all game, Messi popped up for the goal late, netting his first of the season to earn Miami a relatively undeserved point.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Leonardo Campana (5/10):

Came on to replace Suarez, but barely got a touch of the ball. Poorly utilized off the bench.

David Ruiz (5/10):

Could have done better on the Galaxy goal but his energy was much, much needed once Miami tired.

Shnayder Borgelin (N/A):

Thrown on late, but couldn't do much for the Herons.

Lawson Sunderland (N/A):

Looked tidy during his late cameo, but didn't feature enough to warrant anything more.

Tata Martino (5/10):

Should know better than to run out the same XI on short rest. Team is dealing with injuries, of course, but it was always going to be rough relying on old legs for a second game in just a few days.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has revealed that Aston Villa could revisit a move for a Southampton midfielder in the January transfer window…

What’s the story?

Reports over the course of the summer had suggested that the Midlands club were keen on signing James Ward-Prowse from St Mary’s, but it appears Gerrard is now also interested in landing Romeu.

During a Q&A for The Athletic, Evans said: “As for the budget… rather than setting an exact figure, Villa will remain flexible to act if either a bargain deal becomes available, or there is a need to top up a certain position, such as in midfield. Sporting director Johan Lange will present midfield options to manager Steven Gerrard, and Southampton’s Oriol Romeu may be looked at after he was tracked over the summer.”

Replacing Idrissa Gueye

Ever since Idrissa Gueye left the club for fellow Premier League side Everton, Villa have searched far and wide for someone to replace the gaping hole that the Senegal international left in the middle of the park.

Marvelous Nakamba has been the closest to doing so, but in Romeu, Gerrard could genuinely find a real monstrous defensive presence.

The 6 foot machine would represent a real upgrade on Nakamba in that holding midfield role – in fact, as per Whoscored, the Saints man’s impressive average of 3.3 tackles per game in the Premier League last season ranked him joint-third in the entire division.

Romeu also averaged 1.4 interceptions per game, numbers which are far better than any of Gerrard’s current options at Villa Park – Nakamba being the closest Villa player to the Spaniard, managing just 1.7 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match.

And, when asked about Romeu’s performance against West Brom in a 2-0 victory last season, Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “When you see him as a professional, how he reacts when he is not first-choice, he’s one of the most professional guys I’ve ever seen.

“Sometimes he is under the radar because he makes the work nobody wants to do – closing the gaps, closing the space, winning duels, being everywhere and when he is in the moment when he can score, it is unbelievable for him.”

The £6m-rated star is exactly what Villa need in that engine room, and could finally be the man to replace Gueye.

Meanwhile, Villa could transform their defence with this star…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Kalidou Koulibaly to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici has already made contact with Aurelio De Laurentiis concerning a deal for the Napoli centre-back ahead of the opening of the summer market.

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However, the report goes on to state that, at present, the Serie A side are not considering any offers due to still being in with an outside chance of winning the Scudetto – with the southern Italian side believed to be waiting to make a decision on the future of the 30-year-old until they know what lies ahead of them in 2022/23.

Better than Bremer

Considering just how impressive Koulibaly has been for Napoli ever since his £6.98m move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium back in 2014, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal for the Senegal international this summer.

Indeed, while Koulibaly has averaged seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 7.00 or above in each of the six complete seasons the website has been recording data for the Italian leagues, the current campaign has arguably been the centre-back’s most impressive for Gli Azzurri.

Over his 23 Serie A appearances this term, the £40.5m-rated defender has been imperious in the heart of Luciano Spalletti’s backline, helping his side keep eight clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, three clearances and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

The £177k-per-week player who Conor Clancy dubbed a “phenomenal” talent also impressed going forwards, scoring two goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 53.3 passes, 3.3 long balls, 0.4 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per fixture.

These returns have seen the 30-year-old average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.19, not only ranking him as Napoli’s third-best player in the Italian top flight but also as the third-best defender in the division as a whole – as well as bettering the average rating of another of Spurs’ reported summer transfer targets, Gleison Bremer, by a score of 0.01.

And, with it being reported that Napoli would demand a figure in the region of €40m (£33m) in order to part with Koulibaly this summer – around €10m (£8.5m) less than Bremer’s asking price – these are two strong arguments that could be made for the Senegal sensation being the better signing for Spurs.

AND in other news: “100%” – Fabrizio Romano drops Spurs transfer claim that will leave supporters buzzing

The former India captain played 131 Tests and 225 ODIs across a 16-year career, and is best remembered for leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup.

Cricinfo staff09-Mar-2010Former India captain Kapil Dev has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. The 51-year-old played 131 Tests and 225 ODIs across a 16-year career, and is best remembered for leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup.Kapil made his international debut in a one-dayer against Pakistan in Quetta in October 1978. His Test debut followed two weeks later in Faisalabad against the same opponents.One of the greatest fast bowlers that India has produced and its finest bowling allrounder, he ended with a remarkable 434 Test wickets and 253 ODI wickets.In 1994, he became the leading wicket-taker in Tests when he overtook Richard Hadlee, a record that was eventually broken by West Indies pacer Courtney Walsh. Also, in 1988 he leapfrogged another West Indies fast bowler, Joel Garner, to become the most successful bowler in ODIs, a record he held until 1994 when his tally of 253 wickets was passed by Wasim Akram.Kapil’s best bowling figures in a Test were 11 for 146 against Pakistan in Chennai in 1980, while in ODIs his best figures came in the group stages of the 1983 World Cup when he took 5 for 43 against Australia in Nottingham.With the bat, he scored 5248 Test runs, including eight centuries and 27 fifties, at an average of 31.05. He also made 3783 ODI runs, including a highest of 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells during the 1983 World Cup.At a ceremony at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Monday, ICC president David Morgan, alongside former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd presented Kapil with a commemorative cap.Speaking on the occassion, Kapil said, “I am proud and happy to have been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and it’s amazing to think that I have been picked as one of the greats of Indian cricket.”I am delighted to have been named alongside so many great players of the game but for me, when I was growing up, the man I always looked up to was Sunil Gavaskar from the moment I started playing cricket. Now to be named also alongside greats of the game such as Clive Lloyd, Richard Hadlee and Wasim Akram it truly fantastic,” he said.Morgan said Kapil was an all-time great player. “He did everything. He batted, bowled and he was a fine fielder. I remember the great catch he took to dismiss Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final – he was on the run and the ball came over his shoulder, possibly the most difficult of catches.”Lloyd, who was Kapil’s opposing number in the 1983 World Cup final, said he was a thoroughly deserving induction into the Hall of Fame. “He was a fantastic cricketer and he was a great asset for Indian cricket during his time at the helm,” Lloyd said. “He set the pace for them early on and he came to the fore and did wonderfully well – he played like a true champion and was a brilliant leader.”

Saeed Anwar has turned down an offer to become Pakistan’s chairman of selectors but is willing to help as a batting consultant

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010Saeed Anwar, the former Pakistan opener, has turned down an offer to become the chairman of selectors of the national team.The Pakistan Cricket Board offered Anwar the role after Iqbal Qasim’s resignation earlier this month, in the aftermath of the team’s recent tour of Australia where they were whitewashed in all formats of the game. “I was offered the post of chairman of selectors, but I told the PCB chairman that I could not take up the job as I don’t think I would be able to do justice to the position,” Anwar said.Anwar, however, was keen on taking up the role of batting consultant. “But I have told him that I do want to help the Pakistan team and I can do this as a batting consultant. I am due to meet the PCB chairman [Ijaz Butt] next month and he will tell me in what way I can play a positive role with the Pakistan team.”This is not the first time Anwar’s name has been linked with a coaching role for Pakistan. In December, he had reportedly spoken of discussions with Butt, over conducting a coaching camp for the team’s batsmen. However, the report was denied by Butt in January.Anwar also expressed his support for Waqar Younis to coach the team. “I think it would be a great move because Waqar is well respected and has impressive cricketing background and knowledge of modern day requirements,” he said.Waqar has emerged as the front-runner to take over the coaching responsibilities, but the PCB is yet to make a final decision.

Everton could seal a dream transfer after they were linked with a move for Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic ahead of the upcoming January window.

What’s the story?

According to 90min, the Toffees are one of several Premier League clubs interested in securing the highly-rated 21-year-old’s services over the coming months as he edges towards the exit door.

Serie A giants Juventus were seemingly leading the charge for Vlahovic’s signature, but the player’s agents are believed to have reassured top-flight teams in England that no deal is in place with the Bianconeri.

The report stated: “90min understands Vlahovic is now the top striking target for at least one top-four side after scouts were left mightily impressed by his displays.”

It added that the Serbia international has rejected the offer of a new big-money contract from La Viola’s hierarchy, and with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2023, he is expected to be available for £70m over the coming months as they look to maximise their profits.

With Fiorentina still reeling from the relatively low fee they received from Juve for Federico Chiesa, it’s reported that they would prefer to sell Vlahovic to a club outside of Serie A. Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton and Newcastle are all understood to be keeping close tabs on his situation.

Imagine him and Calvert-Lewin

Ever since he made the switch from boyhood club Partizan Belgrade to Florence back in 2018, Vlahovic has established himself as one of the most exciting and promising youngsters in European football.

Last season, he bagged an incredible 21 goals in 40 appearances for Fiorentina despite their struggles near the foot of the Serie A table. The imposing 6 foot 2 beast appears to have taken his game to new heights in the opening weeks of the current campaign, notching a remarkable 12 goals in just 14 outings for Vincenzo Italiano’s charges.

The youngster’s eye-catching exploits have seen him dubbed a “complete number nine” by Serie A expert Conor Clancy, while talent scout Jacek Kulig labelled him a “machine,” highlighting his truly top-class potential.

A front two of Vlahovic and Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a mouth-watering prospect for everyone associated with Everton and a frightening one for any opposition defenders, with the Englishman netting 32 Premier League goals since the start of the 2019/20 season.

It remains to be seen whether the Blues can realistically afford the Serbian’s services. If they can, Everton’s director of football Marcel Brand must do whatever it takes to try and convince him to come to the blue half of Merseyside.

In other news… Forget Townsend: Everton beast who has won 58 duels has been Benitez’s overlooked star 

Plays of the day for the fourth day of the Australia-West Indies Test in Adelaide

Alex Brown and Brydon Coverdale07-Dec-2009The Chris Gayle shuffle
Proof that Chris Gayle is cooler than Mawson’s Hut was evident in his celebration of his maiden Test century against Australia. Triumphant waves of the bat bookended a short dance sequence that featured the kind of rhythmic sashaying that would have proven a hit in the nightclubs of Kingston. Gayle looked decidedly less graceful several overs later when he was struck by cramp. Gayle’s nickname among team-mates is “crampy”, a Jamaican expression for slow movement, and his seizing muscles served to decelerate his scoring rate for a time, but he picked it up at the end of the day.Brother, can you spare a wicket?
Australia’s inability to take 20 wickets proved a curse in recent losing campaigns against India, South Africa and England, and the lack of an enforcer returned to haunt them on Monday. Without the services of the incapacitated Peter Siddle, who has a hamstring problem, for much of the day, Australia struggled for impact against a resolute West Indies batting unit on a benign Adelaide surface. Nathan Hauritz could not replicate the bounce or bite of Sulieman Benn the previous day, while Mitchell Johnson lit up the start and the end, but not in the middle. It was a tough time at the office.Tall tales of Big Benn
Sulieman Benn said it wasn’t until he was about 14 that he began getting taller than most of his friends, but at 28 it seems he’s still enjoying a growth spurt. The story of his success on the third day in Adelaide turned into a tall tale – but just how tall depended on whose story you read. His profile page on Cricinfo lists him as 6ft 7in, which equates to 200cm, but in the he had grown to 204cm and in the he had shot up to 207cm.Save the umps
The Gould League is an Australian organisation that, among other things, aims to protect the environment. Umpire Ian Gould might just need his own group if he keeps getting in the way of Gayle drives. Gayle crunched a straight one that clipped the fingers of the bowler Marcus North, but that didn’t take much of the pace off the ball. It promptly ricocheted into Gould’s ankle, sending the umpire hobbling in pain and denying Gayle a boundary.