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Tottenham Hotspur are happy to listen to any incoming bids for Ben Davies this summer, according to reports.

Is Ben Davies leaving Spurs?

The Welshman first arrived in N17 from Swansea City back in 2014 and has since gone on to make a total of 310 appearances to date, making him Ryan Mason’s third longest-serving player slightly behind Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris.

The Lilywhites left-back has been a regular feature in the Premier League this season, registering 25 starts and five substitute outings, as per WhoScored, but despite him still having another two years to run on his contract, his future is currently uncertain.

Daniel Levy is reportedly planning a major squad overhaul this summer alongside whoever his new permanent manager will be, and with the 30-year-old not getting any younger, it would appear that he could be one of the first to get the chop if the following update is to be believed.

Are Spurs selling Davies?

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will "listen to offers" for Davies this summer no matter which manager is in the dugout ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Spurs "recognise" that they need a squad transformation of the "core" of the first-team given the disappointment of this season, and the defender is one of the players that the board are "likely" to cash in on should they receive an offer of £15m as per a "well-placed source".

Tottenham are certainly in desperate need of a clear out having failed to qualify for any kind of European football this season, so despite being a great servant under the various managers over the years, Davies departing during the upcoming window would be the right decision moving forward.

The Spurs veteran is currently ranked by WhoScored as Mason’s 13th worst defensive player where he’s averaging just 0.8 tackles per top-flight game having won only nine of the 25 he’s made since the start of the term, poor form which has seen him. recently described as “weak” in one-on-one situations by journalist Nacho Gonzalez.

Davies, who is a natural left-back, has also played as a centre-back on 27 occasions this season so can’t even establish himself as the manager’s first-choice option in his usual role, therefore highlighting that the club probably want to enter the market for a fresh face in that area, meaning that he would only be out of favour should he remain beyond the summer.

David Willey, the left-arm seamer, has been ruled out of England’s ODI series against Pakistan after suffering a hand injury on T20 Blast Finals Day

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2016David Willey, the left-arm seamer, has been taken out of England’s squad for the ODI series against Pakistan after suffering a hand injury on T20 Blast Finals Day. He will be replaced by Nottinghamshire’s Jake Ball, but Willey still hopes to play a part at some stage.*Willey was struck by a fierce return drive from Mark Stoneman in his second over of the semi-final against Durham. Although he completed his four overs, and then opened the batting, he was clearly in significant pain.An X-ray on Sunday “has not excluded a significant injury” an ECB statement said and he will undergo a further scan on Monday as well as being assessed by a consultant with the statement adding Willey had been “withdrawn from England’s ODI squad until a clear diagnosis has been established.”Willey later tweeted: “Not actually ruled out of this series yet, waiting for diagnosis on hand. Hopefully just a bruise!”Willey has become a central figure in England’s limited-overs team, making 18 ODI appearances and 11 in T20Is since making his international debut in May last year. He has 29 ODI wickets at 27.82 and has often provided early breakthroughs with his new-ball swing. In his most recent ODI, against Sri Lanka in Cardiff, he took a career-best 4 for 34.Ball, meanwhile, earns his first call-up to the one-day side having made his Test debut against Pakistan at Lord’s last month.The England squad meet up in Southampton on Monday ahead of the opening match of the series at the Ageas Bowl on Wednesday.*20.30BST, August 21: This story was updated with David Willey’s comment

Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Nic Pothas has been appointed Sri Lanka’s fielding coach, and will begin the role on August 8, a board release said

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jul-2016Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Nic Pothas has been appointed Sri Lanka’s fielding coach, and will begin the role on August 8, a board release said. Pothas had most recently been the academy director at Leicestershire County, and was the cricket director at Guernsey in the past.”Our last few outings are showing a marked improvement in the batting and bowling, however our fielding has been letting us down,” SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said. “Pothas joining the support team already in place will give the necessary boost to this important area.”We always believe in engaging the best professional advice and technical support for our national team, and this appointment is one such positive step.”Pothas is the Sumathipala administration’s third high-profile appointment to the coaching system, to follow head coach Graham Ford and high-performance manager Simon Willis. Both Pothas and SLC thanked Leicesershire county for releasing him from his county contract.”I will forever be grateful to Leicestershire County Cricket Club for the opportunity to join at an exciting time,” Pothas said. “But the opportunity to be involved in the game at the highest level is not one that I could pass up.”A long-time Hampshire player, Pothas scored over 11,000 runs and effected 659 dismissals in 218 first-class games. He also played three ODIs for South Africa in 2000.

Aston Villa are reportedly looking ahead to the summer transfer window, as a celebrated talisman in Europe has been linked with a move to Villa Park.

The Midlands club have been the centre of speculation as the summer window edges closer, looking to build on the success of Unai Emery’s first season by strengthening with new recruits.

With just one game remaining of a memorable Premier League campaign, Villa are a win away from making their European dreams come true in a year that has seen change for the better for the club.

Emery has got the claret and blue firing again, as well as holding a sturdy defence, Villa Park has hosted some impressive football throughout his time in charge so far.

Despite getting things to tick, the Spaniard told The Athletic in April of his desire to capture another striker in the summer transfer window, with one name being linked to a shock move.

What’s the latest on Dusan Vlahovic to Aston Villa?

As reported by Sam Dean at the Telegraph earlier this month, Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is speculated to be on Emery’s wishlist this summer.

The report states the four-time Europa League-winning coach is considering an “ambitious swoop” for the Serbian forward.

Spanish news outlet AS previously valued the hitman in the region of a whopping €110m (£96m), so any move could be tricky to negotiate.

What could Dusan Vlahovic bring to Aston Villa?

Likened by FBref to Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland, Villa could erase all thought of worry regarding their attack in recruiting the 23-year-old.

As per Transfermarkt, the forward has scored 93 goals in his professional career, as well as registering 20 assists in 183 games at senior level.

The Serbian could provide Emery with a long-term partner for current line-leader Ollie Watkins, who has netted 14 goals this season in the Premier League so far.

Not only could the Juventus striker act as part of a goal-scoring duo with the Englishman but could provide healthy competition to maintain high levels of performance.

As per WhoScored, the two possess attributes that suggest they could form a dream partnership at Villa Park, with Watkins’ strengths in playing the ball for a layoff, paired with Vlahovic’s innate finishing ability.

The £215k-per-week ace also offers a real aerial threat to the attack, standing at 6 foot 3 and being lauded as a “monster” by journalist Carlo Garganese, for his strength and presence when leading the line.

Finding a natural goalscorer is the ultimate prize in the summer transfer window, and having been identified as one of the most prolific at his trade in Europe, Vlahovic will be in demand this summer.

Leeds United are one of several Premier League sides said to be interested in appointing Feyenoord manager Arne Slot this summer, and the Dutchman could be the next Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Arne Slot?

In a recent profile piece for The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Leeds were all name-checked as potential destinations for the 44-year-old, who has built on his impressive reputation by leading Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title this season.

Of course, it would be difficult to imagine Slot swapping Champions League football for the Championship next season, so there is a huge reliance on Sam Allardyce keeping the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League, if they are going to attract such a promising young manager to Elland Road ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

It is easy to see why so many Premier League sides are interested in Slot, given his impressive transformation of De club aan de Maas in just two years with the club.

Having averaged a hugely impressive 1.93 points per game during his time at AZ Alkmaar, the Dutchman would earn a move to Feyenoord in 2021 and has since averaged 2.14 points per game at De Kuip, winning 64 of his 99 games in charge thus far.

As well as comfortably winning the league this season, with the title wrapped up with last weekend's win over Go Ahead Eagles, he also led Feyenoord to the Europa Conference League final in 2022, where his side narrowly lost out to Jose Mourinho's Roma.

Slot clearly knows how to win games, and his reputation as an attacking coach, which has seen Feyenoord smash in 78 goals in just 32 league games, suggests that he could be the true heir to Bielsa at Leeds.

Could Slot be the next Bielsa?

Although Bielsa looked to be taking Leeds down in 2022, neither Jesse Marsch nor Javi Gracia have proven themselves to be adequate long-term replacements for the legendary Argentine.

The American just about kept them in the division last term but the fact Gracia was dismissed after a matter of games said it all about his quality in the dug out.

Allardyce is the epitome of a short-term appointment at Elland Road and regardless of his results in the final two games of the campaign, it is hard to see him still being in Yorkshire when the 2023/24 season rolls around.

Bielsa did take Leeds to the Championship title and excelled in his first season in the Premier League, earning a ninth-placed finish with his brand of attacking no-fear football.

Slot could bring that attacking mantra back to Elland Road, as Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan suggested to talkSPORT earlier this year.

He said: “He is very similar to Pep Guardiola, his ideas are very similar, he is a massive fan of Pep and he plays the same time.

“He goes ultra-attacking, he is almost like a maniac. Not on the touchline but it is fantastic to see how he has turned an average side into a wonderful attacking machine."

This appointment may seem like an unrealistic one given Leeds' current predicament but if Andrea Radrizzani is keen to establish Leeds back in the top half of the Premier League table then he needs to hope Allardyce can work his magic and then aim high when looking for a long-term replacement.

Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has expressed regret at the strained relationship he shared with Wasim Akram during their playing days

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-20163:12

Waqar: ‘I regret having had issues with Wasim’

Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has expressed regret at the strained relationship he shared with Wasim Akram during their playing days. Speaking on the fifth episode of to be aired on Friday night India time on Sony ESPN, Waqar said the “issues” between them didn’t help the team’s cause.”I am really good friends with Wasim , he has always been an elder brother,” Waqar said. “He has always supported and helped me on the field, off the field. Yeah, we had issues. He didn’t only have issues with me but we had issues in the team those days, which yes, if you ask me the truth, yes I do regret at times because you know it did not really help Pakistan cricket.”But then again if you look at it, we had issues off the field but when we walked on to the field it was different ball game altogether. We wanted to compete [with] each other, we wanted to take more wickets than the other one and I think in a way, it did help. But yeah, if you ask me that particular episode, yes, we all regret it because it shouldn’t have happened. It was ugly those days but those days we were younger and we didn’t know much, now [we are] probably wiser and we want to improve things. Yeah, you can say that it was a regret.”Waqar felt the standard of first-class level in Pakistan had diminished with too many teams being involved, and advocated “serious competition” to produce quality cricketers. “I thought the system was a little bit better than what we have now. We had lesser teams, we had more quality in cricket and also we had — we still got – talent,” he said. “I’m not saying that we don’t have talent but I think this talent has been expanded and it’s been lost a little bit because we got too many teams playing first-class cricket. In those days, we had only like eight first-class teams playing and competing against each other.”It was very difficult to play first-class cricket those days. But nowadays, I feel that cricket — first-class cricket has just been, you know, been gifted away, there’ve been too many guys playing cricket. I don’t want to take cricket away from any kid from Pakistan. They all deserve it. I come from a small town so I know the importance. But I feel when you look at the bigger picture, when you look at international cricket, I think it’s important that first-class cricket should be played by fewer people. There should be a serious competition, that’s how you produce top cricketers and I feel that that is lacking in Pakistan at the moment.”Waqar said bowling fast was a natural act and credited a system where he was encouraged to go full tilt without sacrificing on pace. According to him, most of his learning was on the job, from the likes of Imran Khan and Akram. “To make someone bowl fast…you cannot teach that. You’re born with it, I guess,” he said. “You can improve maybe to a certain degree, you can improve pace, you can improve a little bit, but when it comes to genuine pace, you cannot make a medium-pacer into a genuine pacer. So, I was born with it, I was very lucky that I had that skill in me, and on top of that I had put lot of hard work into it. And I was very lucky that I had Imran Khan as a captain, as a role model. He never allowed me to slow down or just hit the areas and all. So, I was lucky that he told me to do that and I kept on doing that till the time I played.”You know I had Wasim Akram who had already played for a little while, Azeem Hafeez was just sort of finishing, Saleem Jaffar was there, we had Imran Khan and we had some serious fast-bowling chain up at the top when I came. So it was just easier to learn just by watching them, not really telling them or asking them for anything, just by watching them it teaches you a lot. I back the system through which I have come but also there were people there to help you, there to show you how things are done and I was very lucky.”Watch at 9.30pm IST on Fridays, and the repeat at 12pm on Sundays, on SONY ESPN

Ireland have announced an ODI against West Indies against in September next year and have also confirmed the schedule for the tri-series in May involving New Zealand and Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2016Ireland have announced an ODI against West Indies against in September next year and have also confirmed the schedule for the tri-series in May involving New Zealand and Bangladesh.West Indies will play their match on September 13 ahead of the one-day series against England later that month. It will be the first time they have met since Ireland beat West Indies by four wickets in Nelson during the 2015 World Cup.It will also bring Phil Simmons, the former Ireland coach who is now in charge of West Indies, back to face his former charges.”I’m really looking forward to bringing the West Indies team to Ireland,” said Simmons. “I had eight great years there as coach and made some lasting friendships as well as winning trophies. It should be a tough contest and Irish conditions will be ideal in helping our preparations for England.”The tri-series in May will be part of the preparation for New Zealand and Bangladesh ahead of the Champions Trophy.Ireland take on Bangladesh in the first game on May 12 before facing New Zealand two days later.New Zealand and Bangladesh go head-to-head on May 17, with Ireland playing Bangladesh for a second time on May 19.Ireland’s final game is against New Zealand on May 21, with the last game in the series between New Zealand and Bangladesh taking place on May 24.Ireland will begin their 2017 season with a two-match series against England with matches at Lord’s and Bristol.

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United have not made a decision on David Moyes' future amid links to Marco Silva.

What's the latest on West Ham and Moyes?

It's been a season of inconsistency for the Irons as they look set to finish down towards the bottom of the Premier League table having placed seventh in the previous campaign.

And while they could still tase European success as they have made it to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, it's no shock that Moyes' future is in doubt.

Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, the Scottish manager is looking increasingly likely" to leave West Ham this summer as the board weigh up replacements.

However, in an update shared on The West Ham Way Podcast, Ex stated that no decision had been made yet although Fulham boss Silva is one of a few names being considered.

He said (11:55): “Paulo Sousa is also interested in the job. Brendan Rodgers is interested in the job now. And apparently, Marco Silva is the latest name to be linked.

"At this point, I don't think a decision has been made. I think it'll be dependent on the Conference League and discussions in the summer.

"But they are some names that are being floated around as potential replacements."

Would Marco Silva join West Ham?

The 45-year-old Fulham coach has done very well of late as he looks to have guided his team to a top-ten finish in the Premier League directly after taking them up from the Championship.

West Ham, on the other hand, will finish much further down the table as they currently sit 15th with just three games to go. So you can see why Silva may look like an interesting alternative to Moyes.

Of course, he isn't the only candidate with Ex noting interest in former Leicester City boss Rodgers and current Salernitana coach Sousa.

However, judging from her recent article in The Sun, Ange Postecoglou may well be the favourite for vice-chairman Karen Brady.

Indeed, after the Celtic manager secured another league title for his side, she urged readers to "raise a glass to" his success, while saying of his career as a whole: "Postecoglou’s feats around the world suggest he would make an impact this side of Hadrian’s Wall."

All in all, it sounds as though there are a number of notable names who could be seen as good Moyes replacements but the writing is not on the wall for the current boss just yet.

A timeline of events in the episode involving Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum and several alleged wrongdoings

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-20162010January: Cairns declares intent to sue Lalit Modi over accusatory tweet
The then IPL commissioner Lalit Modi tweets that the IPL decided to withdraw Cairns’ name from the auction list because of his alleged involvement in fixing. In his response, a statement issued by his solicitor Andrew Fitch-Holland, Cairns says: “The allegation made by Lalit Modi that I have been involved in match-fixing is scandalous and wholly untrue. For him to circulate such a falsehood around the world is outrageous. Mr Modi’s allegation has caused me huge personal distress and professional damage. I cannot allow these slurs to ruin my future and I have instructed my solicitors, Collyer Bristow LLP, to bring proceedings for defamation against Mr Modi.”2011February: McCullum reports alleged approaches by Cairns
Brendon McCullum tells John Rhodes, a representative of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, about the allegedly corrupt approaches Chris Cairns made to him in 2008. New Zealand’s then captain Daniel Vettori is present at the Rhodes’ meeting, for moral support according to McCullum. McCullum decides to speak out only after Rhodes addressed the team ahead of their World Cup 2011 opener, telling them “if we had been or were approached about match-fixing and we did not report it, then we were, in the eyes of the ICC, just as guilty as the person who approached us”. McCullum did not report the alleged approaches by his one-time hero earlier because “it’s not easy ‘ratting’ on someone I regarded as a mate”.2012March: Cairns wins libel case against Modi
Chris Cairns wins his libel case in London against Lalit Modi and is awarded damages of £90,000 ($142,000). Judge David Bean of the High Court finds that Modi had “singularly failed to provide any reliable evidence” that Cairns was involved in fixing of any kind.2014May: McCullum report on Cairns leaked
The carries parts of the statements made by Brendon McCullum on Chris Cairns to the ICC’s anti-corruption investigators. According to the newspaper, McCullum told investigators that he was first approached during IPL 2008, and he turned down offers of up to $180,000 to underperform. New Zealand Cricket releases a statement confirming that McCullum is not under investigation himself, and says: “New Zealand Cricket is dismayed that Brendon McCullum’s testimony to the International Cricket Council has been leaked to the media.”July: Vincent confesses to being a ‘cheat’
“My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat. I have abused my position as a professional sportsman on a number of occasions by choosing to accept money in fixing.” Thus begins a tell-all confession from the former New Zealand batsman, who, hours after releasing this statement, is banned for life by the ECB; Vincent had confessed to 11 offences punishable by a life ban under ECB anti-corruption regulations. He is banned from “all forms of cricket” and prevented from “playing, coaching or participating in any form of cricket which is recognised or sanctioned by ECB, the ICC or any other National Cricket Federation”.2015October 5: Perjury case opens against Cairns
A case opens at Southwark Crown Court against Chris Cairns, who is accused by the Crown Prosecution Service of lying under oath during the 2012 libel case involving Lalit Modi. Also standing trial is Cairns’ former legal counsel Andrew Fitch-Holland, who is accused of perverting the course of justice in the 2012 case.October 12: Vincent testifies against Cairns
Lou Vincent is the first of the witnesses to be called for the prosecution. He claims he was acting under “direct orders” from Cairns when he agreed to fix matches in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League in 2008.October 15: McCullum testifies against Cairns
McCullum gives evidence in the perjury case. He claims he was asked three times by Cairns to get involved in spot-fixing. He admits he did not report the approach until three years later because “he didn’t want it to be true”.October 21: ACSU official questioned on McCullum’s statements
John Rhodes, the Australasian head of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU), takes the stand in the perjury case; it was to this official that Brendon McCullum had made his initial statement on Cairns in 2011. Rhodes says McCullum’s initial statement omitted any explicit mention of “match-fixing”, but the “inference was clear”. However, he says, his job as a field officer was simply to collect information and it was up to his superiors to investigate his findings. He admits to having lost the diary where he had made notes on McCullum’s report.November: Cairns found not guilty of perjury
The nine-week perjury trial ends. Justice Sweeney, the presiding judge, says the evidence of two of the three “key” witnesses – Lou Vincent, his ex-wife Eleanor Riley and Brendon McCullum – would have to be accepted as true for the perjury charge to be upheld. The jury delivers a not-guilty verdict after 10 hours and 17 minutes of deliberation.2016June: McCullum hits out at ACSU’s handling of his report on Cairns
During his MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, Brendon McCullum condemns the casual manner in which his first interview with John Rhodes was conducted. He says of Rhodes: “[He] took notes – he did not record our conversation. He said he would get what I said down on paper and that it would probably end up at the bottom of the file with nothing eventuating. Looking back on this, I am very surprised by what I perceive to be a very casual approach to gathering evidence. I was reporting two approaches by a former international star of the game. I was not asked to elaborate on anything I said and I signed a statement that was essentially nothing more than a skeleton outline.” He also condemns the severity of the punishment dished out to Lou Vincent, pointing out that Vincent had spoken out on fixing and co-operated with the authorities on the matter. In its response to McCullum’s statements, the ICC denies the origin of the leaked statement came from within the governing body and stresses that it has “put strong measures” in place to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.

Glasgow Rangers will be without the services of Alfredo Morelos next season as Michael Beale confirmed that the striker is leaving the club after six years.

This leaves the club with only Antonio Colak, Fashion Sakala and Kemar Roofe as the centre-forward options at the club as it stands heading into next season.

The Englishman will surely be eying a few players in the summer transfer window, especially with Roofe’s injury issues and Sakala’s poor finishing skills.

The Zambian has netted just eight times across 37 appearances this season and although the player shows plenty of enthusiasm, his lack of cutting-edge is a major worry heading into 2023/24.

Beale must wish he could rewind the clock in order to utilise a player who was signed by Dick Advocaat in 1999 and has since entered cult hero status at the Ibrox side; Michael Mols.

What did Michael Mols achieve at Rangers?

Beale plays an attacking style of football which would have allowed the Dutchman to thrive, linking up well with two wingers and an attacking midfielder while he could also hold the ball up to great effect and bring others into play.

The £4m signing from the Eredivisie during Advocaat’s second season in charge of the Light Blues had the potential to transform their dominance in Scotland to the continent.

He enjoyed a wonderful start to life at the club, scoring four goals before a horrific injury suffered against Bayern Munich in the Champions League proved to be a career changer for the striker.

When he came back after a couple of seasons of stop-start progress in 2002/03, he was a different player. Mols couldn’t rely on his blistering pace anymore, therefore he turned into a more intelligent striker, someone that Beale could do with next season.

The Dutchman didn’t lose his finishing touch, scoring 13 league goals that term as Rangers eventually won the treble, while adding in another 11 during his final campaign for the club in 2003/04.

That initial tally happens to be better than Sakala's seasonal record in Glasgow, with the club's current striker having not scored more than 12 in a single campaign yet.

Mols' ability to confuse defenders with his famous turn, giving him an extra yard of space to unleash a shot terrorised countless players during his time in Scotland and although the injury changed his nature, he didn’t lose the most important skill – finishing.

Prime Mols in this current Rangers side would be a massive danger, with Todd Cantwell on the right and Ryan Kent on the left threading him plenty of passes from which he could cause serious chaos from.

Advocaat struck gold signing the attacker, and his cult hero status in Glasgow was well-earned.