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There’s been much speculation on the future of Declan Rice at West Ham this summer, and London Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser has told Football FanCast that the England international would struggle to turn down a move to Chelsea.

The Blues are yet to make a signing this summer but according to football.london, Declan Rice is top of their wish-list.

Rice started every game at Euro 2020 for England this summer, forming a formidable partnership with Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips, and after helping West Ham to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season, has caught the eye of the Champions League winners.

Speaking with FFC, Rosser said “I think if Chelsea came in then he’d find it very hard to say no, if it was a bid that West Ham found acceptable.”

Being one of West Ham’s star players, the club are going to command a high transfer fee for the midfielder, with CIES Football Observatory valuing Rice at £72m currently.

The valuation of Rice won’t put Chelsea off though as owner Roman Abramovich isn’t averse to splashing the cash on players, spending £226.1m last summer according to Sky Sports.

Steve Harmison, who came out of ODI retirement yesterday and was promptly selected in England’s XI to face South Africa at Headingley, has insisted that his return has nothing to do with financial reasons

Cricinfo staff21-Aug-2008
Already back in whites, it’s time for Steve Harmison to try some colour © Getty Images
Steve Harmison, who came out of ODI retirement yesterday and was promptly selected in England’s XI to face South Africa at Headingley, has insisted that his return has nothing to do with financial reasons.He is now available for England’s match against Stanford Superstars on November 1, a game which will earn each victorious player more than £500,000. Yet Harmison denied claims that he was returning for financial reasons.”I retired from one-day cricket for cricketing reasons and I’m coming back for cricketing reasons,” he told BBC Radio. “Originally if I was going to come back I was going to come back on November 2 – I’m not coming back for financial reasons.”Harmison said that a settled family life helped him come to the decision. “After recently being asked by the England management to reassess my retirement from international one-day cricket I’ve decided to join England’s ODI squad after careful consideration,” he said yesterday. “It’s something I have been thinking about for a period of time and due to recent injuries in the England camp the opportunity has arisen for me to play a role in this series.”I decided to retire from England’s ODI team for a number of reasons, one being the amount of time I was spending away from my family,” he said. “Now that my family is settled and my bowling is settled I feel I have something to offer England’s ODI side and am looking forward to playing a part in the series against South Africa.”Harmison announced his ODI retirement following the Ashes in Australia and his last ODI was against Australia in Jaipur during the 2006 Champions Trophy. It is a major U-turn from Harmison who, despite his successful return to the Test team at The Oval, continued to insist he was happy to stay out of ODIs.However, Kevin Pietersen spoke about wanting him back in the one-day side following the Test series against South Africa. “It would be lovely to have him coming in first-change with the white ball, but you don’t always get what you want in life,” he said. Clearly Pietersen has been able to help change Harmison’s mind.Harmison returned to the Test team earlier this month for the first time since being dropped following the Hamilton Test in New Zealand in March. He said that being out of the England set-up has made him hungry to return in both formats of the game. However, he isn’t looking beyond the forthcoming five ODIs against South Africa”Having missed out on selection at various times this year I am well aware of the disappointment that comes from not being a part of the England dressing room,” he said. “With that in mind I want to be a part of the team and if that means bringing myself out of retirement to play a role in this upcoming series then I’m happy to do just that.Harmison has played 46 ODIs, taking 67 wickets at 30.70 with best figures of 5 for 33 against Australia, in Bristol, in 2005. He also has an ODI hat-trick, against India at Trent Bridge in 2004.

Ireland are set to tie up a long-term association with the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) to enable reciprocal tours between the two counties starting in 2009

Cricinfo staff03-Sep-2008Ireland are set to tie up a long-term association with the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) to enable reciprocal tours between the two counties starting in 2009.The agreement follows meetings between Paul Campbell, vice president of the JCA and representatives from Cricket Ireland, including chief executive Warren Deutrom and chairman David Williams during the recent ICC World Twenty20 Cup qualifying tournament in Belfast.”This is a wonderful opportunity for the players to experience cricket in a different climate and conditions,” said Phil Simmons, the Ireland coach and former West Indies allrounder. “They can only become better players for the experience, and I know how much they will enjoy returning to the scene of their marvellous exploits last year.”Deutrom added that Ireland hope to build on the support they received during the 2007 World Cup, when they were based in Jamaica during the first round.”Cricket Ireland believes that reciprocal relations between our two countries will not only assist in our cricketing development, but will also help us renew great friendships created during Ireland’s memorable World Cup through the Caribbean last year,” he said

Manchester City have been linked with a move for Barcelona wonderkid Ilaix Moriba this summer, and if he were to join, he could form a superb partnership with Phil Foden for the long-term future at the Etihad Stadium.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Manchester City and Chelsea are monitoring the 18-year-old’s situation at Barcelona as he enters the final year of his contract at the Catalan club.

The report claims that Moriba is disappointed by Barcelona’s decision to make him train with the reserves whilst contract talks continue, with Pep Guardiola’s side apparently willing to push hard to sign the teenage midfielder.

Imagine him and Foden

Despite his age, Moriba has already made 18 appearances for Barcelona’s first team, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists, so he looks to have a very bright future.

According to WhoScored, his main strengths include his dribbling, passing and ability to block the ball, which is no surprise as he is a product of La Masia academy, and it suggests that he would fit in well in Guardiola’s Man City side.

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Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman was full of praise for the teenage midfielder last season, saying: “Ilaix scored a fantastic goal, it was an incredible goal and had a lot of impact on the match. He took advantage of the opportunities he had. He is very good at controlling the ball and he is a very strong player.”

If he were to make the switch to the Etihad this summer, he could prove to be a staple of this Man City side for a number of years, in which time he could form a deadly partnership with City wonderkid Foden.

After slowly being integrated into the first team, the England international has now established himself as a key player at the Etihad, emphasised by his nine goals and five assists in the Premier League last season.

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The thought of Moriba playing through the middle, supporting Foden either on the left or in an attacking midfield role, is surely a mouth-watering prospect for Manchester City fans. Txiki Begiristain should definitely be looking to bring the Spanish youngster to the Etihad, as he would represent another step towards building a world-class team for the future.

In other news… Fabrizio Romano drops Jack Grealish to Man City latest

Stanford organisers have confirmed that the Stanford Super Series will go on as scheduled

Cricinfo staff09-Oct-2008Stanford organisers have confirmed that the Stanford Super Series will go on as scheduled after Allen Stanford and Denis O’Brien – the head of Digicel, sponsors of West Indies cricket – reached an agreement on sponsor rights for the matches.”I am pleased with both parties’ solution oriented approach and most importantly that this matter has been finally resolved,” Stanford said. “We look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to the Stanford Cricket Ground to enjoy a fantastic week of cricket.”The match was put in doubt when Digicel argued that if the Stanford match was officially recognised by the West Indies board then, as official sponsor to the WICB, it had branding and other commercial rights associated with that deal. The High Court in London, where the case was heard, ruled that the WICB had to remove its sanction for the game as not doing so would put it in breach of contract with Digicel. This meant that the November 1 fixture would have pit England against a second-string West Indies side.However with negotiations between Stanford and Digicel being “extremely productive”, according to Stanford organisers, the players involved can continue their preparations for the winner-takes-all $20 million extravaganza.”Digicel is delighted to confirm that negotiations have been successful and that arrangements have been put in place to allow for the series to continue for at least the next three years,” said a statement. “Digicel has at all times supported the Stanford initiative and from the outset sought a negotiated compromise with the relevant parties.”Paul Collingwood, the England batsman, has said the compromise will be good for the game. “It’s going to be interesting, it’s going to be certainly a good spectacle,” Collingwood said. “I’m sure there will be a lot of pressure on the day.”

Celtic’s swoop for Royal Antwerp right-back Aurelio Buta is looking less likely, according to The Daily Mail’s Stephen McGowan.

The Lowdown: Buta reports

Celtic appeared to be closing in on Buta last week, with reports suggesting the Hoops agreed on a £3m deal. A story last Tuesday expected a move to go through in a matter of hours, but as we know, Buta hasn’t put pen to paper on a Celtic contract.

Turkish big guns Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have since shown an interest in Buta, which could spark a bidding war for the 24-year-old.

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The Latest: McGowan’s claim

McGowan shared a Celtic-related story on Sunday evening, revealing the Hoops’ interest in free agent James McCarthy.

Within his report, McGowan claimed that Celtic want a goalkeeper, right-back, central midfielder and a winger, before admitting that a deal for Buta ‘looks less likely’ – a damning three-word update from the journalist.

The Verdict: Time to move on?

It appears as if now could be the time for Celtic to move on to alternative targets.

If a move to Scotland is going to materialise, you’d think it would have gone through by now, especially following the reports last week.

The likes of George Baldock and Josip Juranovic are two more right-backs with whom Celtic have been linked in recent weeks, so perhaps now is the time to swoop for one of those instead of Buta, which increasingly appears to be a dead-end pursuit.

In other news: Celtic ace departs Parkhead, find out more here. 

After months of speculation, Middlesex have finally confirmed that Ed Joyce will leave the county at the end of the year and move to Sussex

Cricinfo staff03-Nov-2008After months of speculation, Middlesex have finally confirmed that Ed Joyce will leave the county at the end of the year and move to Sussex.”He felt he needed a fresh challenge,” Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington told the BBC. “He felt moving counties would help him rediscover the form that got him into the England side a couple of years ago. He’s been absolutely spot on in all of the negotiations and in all of his communication with us.”He was always one of the first names on the team-sheet and he has been outstanding and undoubtedly we’re going to miss him. We’ve signed Neil Dexter from Kent and we’re very pleased with that signing. He played very well in Antigua. We’ve still got a very strong batting line-up.”Joyce will play his last matches for Middlesex in the Champions League in India in December.

Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s move to join Premier League giants Arsenal has broken down, as reported by the Express.

The Lowdown: Ramsdale looked set for Arsenal as he entered advanced talks over exit

Looking to add to their depth in the goalkeeping department, Arsenal were believed to be close to agreeing a deal for England international Ramsdale for an up-front fee of around £24 million rising to £30 million [Football London].

His homegrown status was said to be an important factor in the prospective deal, as well as providing a competent option to compete with the underperforming Bernd Leno for the number one jersey.

However, the 23-year-old ace now looks set to stay at Bramall Lane for the time being following recent developments.

The Latest: Ramsdale move collapses after breakdown in discussions

Now, it seems no such switch will materialise. Despite player and club engaging in positive discussions, the sides failed to agree a fee for the ex-Bournemouth stopper [Express].

Any notion of Ramsdale moving to the Emirates Stadium this summer looks to now be dead and buried, provoking deep disappointment on his behalf.

The Blades will now keep hold of their top asset, with Arsenal set to move on to a host of other options.

The Verdict: Ramsdale exit would’ve provoked conflicting emotions amongst the Blades support

In 2020/21, Ramsdale registered six clean sheets in 42 appearances within all competitions [Transfermarkt]. Furthermore, he impressed with his distribution across the piece, completing a commendable 281 accurate long balls last year [Premier League].

Once labelled as ‘incredible’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, this latest development may stir mixed emotions at Bramall Lane.

On one hand, losing a talented young stopper so early in a pivotal season would have come as a bitter blow to the Blades’ promotion aspirations.

Conversely, being able to recoup a sizeable amount of money for the 6 foot 2 ace may have gifted boss Slavisa Jokanović with a real opportunity to re-invest in key targets.

In other news, Sheffield United could be set for another prospective departure.

The battle between the bottom two teams in the tournament ended with Mumbai Champs completing a 58-run victory against the Delhi Giants in Gurgaon

Cricinfo staff30-Oct-2008
Dheeraj Jadhav’s 59 set up Mumbai’s match-winning total© ICL
The battle between the bottom two teams in the tournament ended with Mumbai Champs completing a 58-run victory against the Delhi Giants in Gurgaon. It was Mumbai’s first victory in the league, after five defeats, and it came soon after their coach Sandeep Patil had stepped down.Mumbai’s batting clicked after they were put into bat and substantial contributions from Dheeraj Jadhav, Hasan Raza and Ranjit Khirid helped them to a competitive 174. Their bowlers put up a strong defence and Avinash Yadav’s terrific spell of 4 for 18 crippled Delhi’s chase. The home team was dismissed for 116 in the 17.3 overs.Jadhav laid the platform for Mumbai’s total, after they had lost two wickets for 44 runs, with a solid half-century. He found the boundary in each of the first five overs – thrice behind square leg, once over extra cover and over mid-on – but ensured he did not fritter a start. He settled down after Taufeeq Umar was bowled by Abid Nabi and added 72 for the third wicket with Hasan Raza. Jadhav eventually fell for 59, lofting Ali Murtaza to Shane Bond at long-off.The crucial push to the innings came from Raza and Ranjit Khirid, who scored 43 each in quick time. Raza got going by hitting Jai P Yadav over the midwicket boundary and was lucky to survive a dropped catch on the cover boundary when on 15. He favoured the leg side, smashing Shalabh Srivastava for a six over midwicket and a four towards fine leg in the 12th over.Khirid was on 14 when Raza holed out to long-on in the 18th over and he stepped up and took charge. He lifted Nabi for a massive six over the sight-screen and then deposited Srivastava over the boundaries at cover and square leg in the penultimate over to end the innings with a flourish.Delhi’s chase was shaken, after a brisk beginning, when Monish Mishra top-edged to short fine leg and Marvan Atapattu was caught behind off Anupam Sanklecha, leaving them on 36 for 2. S Abbas Ali was trying to build momentum when a flurry of wickets permanently derailed the innings.Dhruv Mahajan was bowled off an inside edge by Khirid with the score on 71 and in the next over – the 11th – Abbas became the first of Yadav’s four wickets. Yadav wrecked the lower-middle order, having Abhinav Bali caught at sweeper and Paul Nixon at cover. In between those dismissals Delhi lost Jai P Yadav and Nabi to run-outs and, at 103 for 8, the contest was over.

Graham Roberts has urged Tottenham to get Serge Aurier out of the football club as quickly as they can.

The Ivorian is part of a batch of players that were expected to be moved on this summer, but with just days to go until the beginning of the new season, the right-back remains part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.

In fact, having featured in the pre-season games against Chelsea and Chelsea in recent days, Aurier could make a shock start against Manchester City this weekend, with the right-back position still up for grabs.

Japhet Tanganga looks in line to start, but the youngster hobbled off against Arsenal on Sunday, which could open the door for Aurier to make his first competitive appearance since the beginning of May.

Aurier could play some part against City and still leave later this month, and Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast that the former PSG defender simply must be sold:

“Aurier has to go. Those sorts of players have to go, get them out of the club as quickly as we can.”