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There was a time in which the strike partnership of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez was one of the best around, as Inter Milan secured the Scudetto under Antonio Conte.

In classic Lukaku style, however, he decided to swap Inter for Chelsea in the summer of 2021, in a move that he has regretted ever since.

Speaking midway through his season back at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku revealed his regret, controversially telling Sky Italia: "The way I left Inter, how I communicated with the fans, it bothers me because it might not be the right time now but it wasn't the right time when I left, either. Now, I think it's right to talk because I have always said I have Inter in my heart. I'll go back to play there, I really hope so."

The Belgian did, at least, manage to reunite with Martinez last season, completing a loan move back to his form club, which many would have assumed could have turned permanent, if he so wished.

That hasn't been the case, however, with Lukaku even attempting to move to Serie A rivals Juventus this summer – which was protested by fans.

Any bridges built at Inter have been burnt to a crisp, including it seems his relationship with Martinez too.

Lautaro Martinez speaks out on Romelu Lukaku situation

Speaking about Lukaku's situation, Martinez told Gazetta, via Fabrizio Romano: “Lukaku saga? I was disappointed by Romelu, it's the truth. I tried to call him in those days of chaos, but he never answered me, the same he did with my other teammates.

“I was disappointed. But ok, well, it’s his choice."

This comes after the Belgian revealed that he missed Martinez back in 2021, saying, via Romano: "I miss Lautaro Martinez, I could die on the pitch for him since day one I met him.

"Lautaro Martinez coming here with me at Chelsea in the future? No… Lautaro, you can stay in Milan, I'll be back there."

The Argentine's future is far simpler than his former strike partner's, meanwhile, revealing his desire to stay put in Milan to Gazetta, reported by Romano: “I received huge bids from Saudi clubs, it’s true. But I’m very happy at Inter and in Milano, no chance and no reason to change.

“I’m the captain here, Inter is my second home. I feel loved here since day one. I’m proud to be here."

What are the latest Romelu Lukaku transfer rumours?

As of right now, Lukaku remains a Chelsea player, but with plenty of time left in the transfer window, that could soon change.

According to Romano, the forward is attracting plenty of interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, but his priority is to remain in Europe, with Juventus a potential option.

Given Chelsea's summer activity, welcoming both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, it seems unlikely that Lukaku will have a place under new boss Mauricio Pochettino next season.

As the summer drags on, and he remains without a move, the former Inter Milan man could find himself in an unwanted position come the beginning of the forthcoming campaign at Stamford Bridge.

It's certainly a situation to keep an eye on.

Everton are one of the teams that currently in the running to land Allan Saint-Maximin on a deal this summer, according to a report from 90Min.

How many goals has Allan Saint-Maximin scored for Newcastle?

The 26-year-old has been with Newcastle for the last four seasons and has regularly produced the goods in front of goal for the Toon. He burst onto the scene back in 2019/20 and became an immediate first-team player, featuring on 26 occasions for them in the Premier League and bagging three goals with four assists.

He matched those totals a campaign later too, despite having less minutes on the field. With the club making gradual improvement, he then featured 35 times – his highest amount since his move to St James' Park – and rewarded Newcastle for their faith by hitting a double-digit amount of goal contributions for the first time (five goals and five assists).

In 2022/23 though, he struggled to maintain his place in the team and as the Toon fought for European football, Saint-Maximin's tally tailed off as well. He started just 12 league games and produced only one goal for the club, although he still managed five assists.

However, it led to his worst ever total in a Newcastle shirt and he could now be on the chopping block given Eddie Howe's penchant for playing either Alexander Isak or Joelinton in that left-wing role at St. James' Park.

Are Everton signing Allan Saint-Maximin?

It's led to suggestions that he could now be sold off this summer, with the Frenchman having fallen down the pecking order. According to a report from 90Min, there is certainly interest in his services and one of the clubs that is in the race to sign him is Everton.

The Toffees have "checked on" the situation of the winger and could therefore make a move if they think it is feasible to do so this summer window. However, they aren't the only club that seemingly want to try and sign him.

Crystal Palace also have an interest in keeping him in the top flight, whilst AC Milan could offer to take him to Italy. Most recently too, there is now an offer from Saudi Arabia on the table – so the player may have some decision making to do when it comes to selecting whether to stay with Newcastle or to head to a new team this window.

He clearly has talent in his locker when he gets on form too, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that Saint-Maximin is "intelligent" and is "so good" at finding "pockets of space" while scout Jacek Kulig calls his dribbling "unstoppable".

It shows that the Frenchman is a winger who is not only excellent in one on one situation but also has the composure to pick a pass at the end of it. If Everton did seal a deal for the 26-year-old then, it would be a real boost to their forward line next season and certainly get the crowd off their feet at Goodison Park.

Aston Villa remain interested in Barcelona star Ferran Torres, with Unai Emery reportedly eyeing a move for the 23-year-old forward.

With Monchi on board, it’s expected to be a busy summer in the Midlands, with news reemerging linking the former Manchester City gem with a move to Villa Park.

The player was first rumoured to be one to watch for the Villans by journalist Graham Bailey back in May, who stated via The Talking Transfers Podcast that Villa could move for the Barcelona ace.

Fast-forward to now, and it’s been speculated that Emery’s side are ‘considering’ a loan move to lure the 23-year-old away from Catalonia, with a €25m option to buy rumoured.

That’s according to reports from Spain, where Mundo Deportivo relayed Villa’s interest in the forward last week, as per Sport Witness.

The report claims that despite the proposed approach for a loan, Barcelona may be more attracted to an immediate sale due to their ongoing financial worries, despite the player speculated to be against a ‘change in scenery’.

With Pau Torres nearing a permanent move to the Midlands, the signing of the impressive centre-back could inspire Monchi to raid La Liga once more in the bid to improve Emery’s attack.

What could Ferran Torres offer to Aston Villa?

At just 23-years-old, Torres has gathered adequate experience for his age in representing some of the continent's top clubs in Manchester City, Barcelona and Valencia.

Rising through the ranks of Valencia’s academy, the then 20-year-old signed for Pep Guardiola’s side in 2020, where he scored 16 goals in 43 appearances for the Sky Blues, as well as getting his hands on two Premier League winners medals.

Adhering to a more sporadic role for the Citizens, the £165k-per-week winger showed his versatility in attack when called upon, featuring as both a wide player and a central striker with a particular eye for goal.

The youngster opted to return to his homeland just a year and a half after arriving in Manchester, signing for the Catalan giants in the 2022 January window.

Similar occurrences have happened at the Camp Nou, in which the Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order to talents such as Raphinha and Ansu Fati, finding it difficult to secure continuous game time.

The forward could be a perfect addition to Emery’s squad, who are looking to add high-profile names to the side this summer after securing a spot in Europe next season.

The Premier League has an abundance of dynamic wingers on show, with Torres being likened to one star in particular based on his statistical comparisons by FBref, showing similarities to Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, a player Emery coached in north London.

Emery could obtain his answer to the 15-goal Brazilian in the Spaniard, who has recorded similar numbers to the Gunners starlet over the past year.

When comparing the two, it’s clear to see just what Torres could equip Villa with, averaging 0.39 non-penalty goals per 90, just shy of Martinelli’s average of 0.41.

A similar pattern is notable in the Spaniard’s threat on the ball, with him being lauded as “magnificent” by former teammate Dani Parejo, praise that's reflected by averaging an impressive 1.96 successful take-ons per 90.

That is incredibly close to Arsenal’s trickster with Martinelli averaging 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 as per FBref, showing the calibre of player Villa could find themselves possessing this summer.

Australia’s poor recent record in Asia and the hosts’ dominant form make the upcoming tour of India one of the toughest he is likely to face as captain, but Steven Smith prefers to look at the satisfaction to be derived if his team can pull off an unexpec

Daniel Brettig14-Feb-20172:53

Defence incredibly important to batting success in India – Smith

Nine consecutive Test match losses in Asia. One series win in India in 48 years. Opponents boasting 19 Tests without defeat, and six consecutive series wins. Few Australian captains have faced a contract as tough as this, but Steven Smith prefers to look at the satisfaction to be derived from what could be one of the most unexpected triumphs in all Test history.Three years and 20 Test matches into his Australian captaincy, Smith has enjoyed numerous highs at home but also the humiliation of a series sweep at the hands of an unfancied Sri Lanka and a ruinous loss down under to South Africa. That last result forced a change in Australia’s selection philosophy, and Smith’s squad arrived in India featuring a notably younger combination than the one so outsmarted by Rangana Herath and company last year.”You probably learn more from losing games than you do from winning, so I guess the last year has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride in regards to results,” Smith said in Mumbai. “I think this team has come a long way. We are learning a lot, we are willing to put in the hard work to try and get the best out of ourselves and the best out of the team. I am happy with where everything is at the moment.”Obviously this is going to be a very difficult tour and I am excited by that challenge. All of the guys are really excited about what’s to come in the next six weeks. It’s a great challenge to play here in India. We know that if we can pull something off and win a series here, we will look back in 10-20 years and it will be some of the best times of our lives.”Australia’s two most recent Asian efforts, in Sri Lanka and also in the UAE against Pakistan in 2014, were characterised by an apparent lack of understanding for the right tempo required to excel in such climes. Smith said that as a captain he needed to show an ability to attack and defend at the right times. Similarly, his batsmen and bowlers had to know the right moments to hold their ground, or alternatively put the pressure on India.”For me, it is about understanding the different times of the games,” Smith said. “I think there are times in the game when you can attack a lot more and times when you need to defend a little bit and just let the game sort of take its course for a little while and try to keep things quite tight. When you get a sniff really go for it.”I think that’s an important aspect of the captaincy here in India. It is about knowing the right periods and timing the periods right – when to sort of take the foot off the pedal and to really go hard as well. I think I learnt a little about that in Sri Lanka. You don’t want people to change their natural games. It is always important to be positive and look to score. I think the moment you just start defending then you are probably in trouble.”You have to have that mindset to look to score, but ultimately your defence is what helps you out when you are in trouble. It is going to be important that our defences are strong against not only the spin bowlers of India, but they have also got some good fast bowlers as well that present a good seam, can swing the new ball and very good reverse as well. Defence is going to be incredibly important for us in this series with the bat.”Steven Smith has said Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon have been working on adapting their bowling to Indian conditions, focusing more on accuracy and maximising natural variation rather than beating batsmen in the air with topspin•Getty ImagesWhile India have lately been an intimidating proposition for any bowling line-up, Smith expressed confidence that in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon – plus other spin options including Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson – he had a combination capable of taking 20 wickets. All have the benefit of knowledge gained on previous trips to Asia, and Starc’s destructive efforts in Sri Lanka, where he lacked support, have not been forgotten.”I am confident, I think we have got a good mix of bowlers,” Smith said. “Guys that are working hard and learning to adapt to the way you need to bowl in these conditions. I think it is totally different to back home in Australia where you need to get up and over the ball and do guys in the air rather than off the wicket.”It’s important here to make sure you are bowling consistent areas and letting the wicket do the work and getting the natural variation out of the wickets. Guys have worked hard on that and I think we are in for a big series. Hopefully the guys can build enough pressure and get the ball in the right areas enough and hopefully we get the right rewards.”I think reverse-swing is going to be incredibly important in this series as well. Our two big quicks – Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc – are very good reverse-swing bowlers. They relish the challenge of playing against the best players in the world, and India have some incredibly good batters. So they are excited by the challenges of playing here as well.”No series between Australia and India seems to pass without some sort of verbal confrontation, and on this front Smith stated he would allow his players to decide what works best for them. There can be little doubt that the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will have plenty to say, though the approach taken by Smith’s deputy David Warner will intrigue.”I think each of our individuals play the way that they play,” Smith said. “If they want to get into a battle verbally, if that gets the best out of them, then go for it. It’s all about us making sure as individuals we are in the right mindset to go out there and succeed. In the end it’s about us playing on skill and making sure that our skills are in the best place for us to succeed.”Smith’s tourists have one warm-up match against India A in Mumbai from Thursday, before the first Test in Pune.

Nic Maddinson has the chance to get off the mark in Test cricket in the first match against Pakistan, after failing to do so in the third against South Africa

Brydon Coverdale11-Dec-20161:49

‘I’ve tried to be more selective with my shots’ – Maddinson

Nic Maddinson is in fine company. Prior to Maddinson, only a dozen Australian top-six batsmen had fallen for a duck in their first Test innings on debut. Victor Trumper was one of them, also Joe Darling, Syd Gregory and Harry Trott, among Australia’s best early cricketers. In the more modern era there was Matthew Elliott, Phillip Hughes and Andrew Symonds – all of whom went on to score Test centuries.But there are some not-so-elites in the group, too. Roy Park is best remembered for the story, apocryphal or not, of how his wife bent down to pick up her knitting and missed his entire Test career: he was bowled first ball in his only Test innings. Others such as Ken Meuleman and Roland Pope, like Park, never played another Test.Whatever happens at the Gabba this week, at least Maddinson won’t fall into the latter camp. He will get another chance in the baggy green, a second opportunity to get off the mark in Test cricket after his 12-ball duck against South Africa at Adelaide Oval. It will be a chance to show that he has the game to bat in the longest form; by his own admission he, at times, has played too aggressively in first-class cricket.”It’s all about me finding a consistent mental state where I can start my innings,” Maddinson said in Brisbane on Sunday. “Have a game plan where it can work, not just when I’m batting on a good day on a flat wicket, but something I can implement on days where the ball is moving and I’m not feeling like it’s all going together.”I think that’s an important part of how I can improve as a player. And that’s… where the inconsistencies lie at the moment. At times I’ve been a bit too aggressive when the situation didn’t suit, but I feel like I’m more comfortable with my batting at the moment which comes with making enough mistakes and being around long enough to work it out.”In Adelaide, Maddinson came in under lights, facing the swinging pink ball, and was a little tentative before being bowled by a fine delivery from Kagiso Rabada. It meant he was the only one of Australia’s three debutants to leave Adelaide empty-handed – Peter Handscomb scored a first-innings fifty and then struck the winning runs, and Matt Renshaw occupied the crease for 183 balls.But having wiped out nearly half the side in moving from Hobart to Adelaide, the selectors opted for a steady hand in the wake of Australia’s consolation victory and named the same 12 for the first Test against Pakistan. Maddinson hopes that after a nervy debut, he will be better placed for Test cricket come his second opportunity.”It helps when the team wins… it’s easier to keep it together and let guys develop a little bit if they have missed out,” Maddinson said. “Although it was a good ball, there’s always something you can do differently. Whether it’s a mindset or just sharpen up a little bit. I’ve had time to watch it and there’s definitely some things I’ll be taking in when I start my innings this week.”One positive for Maddinson is that, unlike on Test debut, he now has a decent pink-ball score under his belt. Prior to the Adelaide day-night Test, Maddinson’s pink-ball day-night first-class career consisted of scores of 1, 18, 17, 1 and 46. But against South Australia in Adelaide last week, Maddinson scored 80 in the first innings of a day-night Sheffield Shield game to give him some confidence.”Regardless of what ball it was, it was an important innings for me,” Maddinson said. “The game before that in Shield cricket I probably didn’t get the runs I would have liked when I sort of felt in at times as well.”So to be able to get 80 last week – I was still extremely disappointed to get out when and how I did in that innings, and to miss out in the second innings. But that’s cricket, I’ve moved on and I think the experiences that I’ve gained from failing in pink-ball games has probably helped me I think in what I can prepare for this week.”

England have confirmed that 24-year old Keaton Jennings will make his Test debut against India on Thursday

George Dobell in Mumbai07-Dec-2016Alastair Cook has confirmed that Keaton Jennings will make his Test debut in the fourth Test against India in Mumbai on Thursday, but Stuart Broad’s foot injury looks increasingly likely to sideline him once again.Jennings, the South African-born son of coach and former player Ray Jennings, only arrived in Mumbai on Monday having been called up from the England Lions squad in the UAE to replace the injured Haseeb Hameed. He will be Cook’s 11th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in August 2012.While Jennings’ preparation is not perfect, Cook said he was reminded of his own debut “10 years ago” when he flew into India 48 hours ahead of the game and hit a century in the Nagpur Test of 2006.Cook also described Broad’s chances of playing as 50:50. Broad sustained his foot injury during the Visakhapatnam Test and subsequently missed the game in Mohali. While he bowled in training on Tuesday, the England camp have yet to make a decision over his involvement.However, Broad took a peripheral part in Wednesday’s practice – he was referee in the football match that precedes England’s training sessions – and did not bowl. He therefore looks most unlikely to be cleared fit to play on Thursday.That leaves England with a choice to make over who to play in his place. Liam Dawson provides the all-round option and could come in for his debut, though Jake Ball, the seamer, may have sneaked in front of Steven Finn in the pecking order.Meanwhile Cook played down any hint of a difference of opinion between himself and the England coach, Trevor Bayliss.Bayliss has recently stated that he would take more of a vocal role in preparation for the final two Tests of the series to remind England that they play at their best, in his view, when they are attempting to be more positive.But while that could have been interpreted as a contradiction of Cook’s views – Cook had decided England would try to block their way to safety in the fourth innings in Vizag – he insists that is not the case. And while he admitted his own style of batting was less overtly positive than most of his colleagues’, he believes there is no clash between his own ethos and that of his coach.”It was clearly a message I knew was coming out,” he said. “We chatted at the end of that game as a leadership group and discussed how we wanted to play and what had happened since our first game when we scored at three-and-a-half runs an over at Rajkot.”We do have to take the second innings at Vizag out of it because I wonder if there was a hangover from that as we did go back into our shells.”The clear message is that we want to play a bit more aggressively with positive intent because Trevor likes that and it was the message in his first game with us. Rajkot was our blueprint and we played really well there and hopefully we can go back to that level.”I think our philosophies are the same. My batting over a long period of time has been about wearing the opposition down and batting for long periods but that doesn’t change my intent.””There are definitely different approaches. It’s not just about hitting fours and sixes. It’s the intent to score runs and it’s a good message we need to keep banging on about.”

After Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss in Pakistan’s 400th Test, Azhar Ali hit an unbeaten 146 – his 11th Test ton – to help his side to 279 for 1 by the close

The Report by Sirish Raghavan13-Oct-2016Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAzhar Ali and Sami Aslam put on an opening partnership of 215•AFPPakistan dominated the first day of their 400th Test, piling on 279 for 1, after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat. Openers Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam made the most of the batting-friendly conditions in Dubai, sharing a double-century stand, before Asad Shafiq came in at No. 3 and lent his weight to a batting effort that deflated West Indies.In theory, both teams were in uncharted territory, playing their first day-night Test – and the second overall – at a time when the concept is still new, with the behaviour of the pink ball under scrutiny. In practice, the ball did not do much in the afternoon heat and, while there was a bit more for the West Indies bowlers under lights, they did not do enough to threaten the batsmen for sustained periods.The pink ball offered very little swing to the new-ball bowlers and very little reverse-swing as it got older. On both counts, West Indies did not help their own cause. At the start of the day, both Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder were too short to give the new ball a chance to swing. Miguel Cummins bowled fuller, but not consistently enough. As the ball grew older, West Indies seemed uninterested in keeping one side shiny to extract reverse-swing.Azhar was fluent almost from the outset, marrying a tight defence with a number of sumptuous drives. One such drive, wide of mid-off off Roston Chase’s bowling, brought up his 11th Test century, off 184 balls. He didn’t stop there, walking off at stumps on an unbeaten 146. His opening partner, Aslam, was the more circumspect of the two, but both batsmen were very strong on the cut when the bowlers dropped short.Aslam often skipped out to the spinners to hit them down the ground, but was equally impressive when leaving balls outside off. He also used the sweep shot quite effectively, but it was that shot that led to his eventual downfall – he got a bottom-edge onto the stumps off Chase to depart for 90 and end a 215-run opening stand.That brought Shafiq to the crease at No. 3. Though Shafiq has mostly batted at the No. 6 position in international cricket, he is a regular No. 3 in domestic cricket. Moreover, the adjustment from No. 6 to No. 3 is minimal when the openers have consumed more than 67 overs and the pitch has no terrors. Shafiq took his time to settle into his innings and calmly accumulated 33 runs, before walking back undefeated at stumps.While the first ball held its shape for the full 80 overs, it was quite discoloured and tattered by the time the second new ball was due. Holder, who had looked increasingly unimpressed with the state of the older ball, took that new ball immediately. Like the first new ball, though, it did not offer much in the way of swing and the second-wicket partnership steadily swelled to 64 by the close of play.It was Gabriel who had generated the first of two half-chances for West Indies in the first session. In his second over, he seamed one away from Azhar to induce an outside edge, but the ball fell short of Kraigg Brathwaite at second slip. Cummins generated the other in his second spell when Azhar slashed a short, wide delivery towards Leon Johnson at gully; the ball burst through Johnson’s hands and raced away to third man for a boundary.If the bowling was not sufficiently penetrative, the decision-making was also puzzling at times. West Indies used six bowlers before tea, but there was no discernible logic in the manner in which they were used. Brathwaite bowled three overs of gentle offspin before either Devendra Bishoo or Chase was introduced. By the time Bishoo was called upon, in the 21st over of the chase, Azhar and Aslam had grown in confidence and were finding the boundary with increasing regularity, pouncing whenever the bowlers erred.The one spell that came close to being penetrative was Holder’s spell immediately after the tea break. With a bit more bounce and carry under lights, Holder bowled with more intensity, troubling Azhar with some well-directed bouncers. Azhar fended a few of those in the air, but got away with it due to the lack of close-in fielders.When Holder went up for a big lbw shout against Azhar and reviewed the not-out decision, West Indies lost their first review. Replays showed ball would have missed leg stump. Thereafter, Gabriel and Cummins also found more pace, the former bowling some good bouncers to Aslam. Bishoo also created his closest opportunity under lights, wrapping Aslam on the pads, but the not-out decision was upheld upon review when HawkEye indicated that the ball would have gone down leg with the angle.Such fleeting moments of encouragement were all West Indies had to cling to on a deflating opening day in which the pink ball did not misbehave and the bowlers were largely unthreatening.

Aston Villa have scouted midfielder Habib Diarra with a view to making a potential move for the player during the upcoming summer transfer window, as manager Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad.

What’s the latest on Habib Diarra to Aston Villa?

According to The Sun, Aston Villa have sent scouts to watch Diarra in action for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg ahead of making a possible swoop for the youngster this summer.

As much as nine other teams are also keen on him however, among them are Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. With a fee of just £20m looking like it could be enough to sign him, Villa are unsurprisingly not the only club monitoring his progress.

Could Aston Villa sign Habib Diarra in the summer?

Despite the intense competition for the 19-year-old, Villa have the means to lure him to the Premier League, especially if they qualify for European football next season.

The club have enjoyed previous transfer success from delving into the French market, with Boubacar Kamara joining the side last summer for nothing and has since gone on to be valued at €51.9m (£45m), with Villa clearly hitting the jackpot on the midfielder.

Although he has been restricted to just 20 league starts due to suffering a knee injury last year, he ranks in the top five out of the Villa squad for accurate passes, interceptions and tackles per game, certainly proving that he offers valuable defensive contributions while his passing ability has clearly been on show this term.

Diarra, then, could become Emery’s next Kamara. The 19-year-old has a greater positional versatility in terms of being able to operate either in the centre of the midfield or slightly deeper in a more defensive position, whereas Kamara tends to play deeper and dictate play from there.

The Strasbourg midfielder offers a greater attacking threat than the Villa player, scoring three goals compared to none for Kamara, while also creating 18 chances to Kamara’s seven, and this attacking output from the heart of the midfield could be a big bonus for Emery.

Kamara does have the better defensive stats however, with his experience proving to be the determining factor, winning more ground duels (101 to 61), making more clearances (23 to 11) and attempting more passes (909 to 523) which proves that the youngster still has much to learn.

Adding another player who is similar to Kamara would be a wise move from the Spaniard, especially with his undoubted potential. The current Villa star may be four years older than Diarra, but gaining experience in the Premier League will allow him to soon reach his level.

Tinashe Panyangara, Zimbabwe’s pace spearhead, has been ruled out of the two-Test series against New Zealand after failing to recover from a back injury. Panyangara, who picked up the injury during a training camp ahead of Zimbabwe’s limited-overs series against India in June, is expected to resume bowling in August.That means Zimbabwe will likely look to the recent A series against South Africa at home for a replacement. Shingi Masakadza and Brian Vitori, who played one game each during the series, are the most high-profile bowlers competing for the slot.Masakadza, who took three wickets in the first innings of the first four-day fixture in Harare, also offers a batting option down the order while Vitori’s left-arm action will provide variation, although he is short of match practice.Vitori, who was out of action for six months after being suspended for an illegal action in February, made a comeback in the second match in Bulawayo, but was both expensive and ineffective. He conceded 106 in 21 wicketless overs, and sent down eight no-balls.A wild card would be Victor Nyauchi who opened the bowling with Masakadza in the Harare game and returned figures of 1 for 94 in the first innings and 2 for 26 in the second.The pace department is not Zimbabwe’s only concern, however. With Graeme Cremer likely to captain the Test side as well, after he was given the job for the ODIs and T20Is against India in June, they could find themselves limited to a legspinner, should they go into the Test with just one specialist slow bowler.John Nyumbu could be an alternative if they choose to field a second spinner. With conditions at Queens Sports Club expected to be slow and low, Zimbabwe will also have to call on the all-round ability of the likes of Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams to perform in both disciplines.Although Hamilton Masakadza was relieved of the captaincy duties after the World T20, he is expected to take up his position at No.3, leaving it up to Vusi Sibanda and Tino Mawoyo, who have Test experience, to battle it out with in-form Brian Chari and Prince Masvaure at the top of the order.Chari scored 98 in the first match against South Africa A while Masvaure made 146 in the second, which should give Zimbabwe some much-needed batting depth in Brendan Taylor’s absence.This will be Zimbabwe’s first Test series since November 2014, when they toured Bangladesh. Zimbabwe have not played Tests at home since a one-off fixture against South Africa in August that year.It will also be Makhaya Ntini’s first Test series in charge, after he took over the head coaching duties ahead of the India series. Ntini has not been confirmed as the permanent coach of the team but remains in charge until a decision is made. He will be joined by fellow South African Lance Klusener, who is the batting consultant.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is "of interest" to Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy by extension, according to journalist Dan Kilpatrick.

Who could Spurs appoint as manager?

There are currently a fair few candidates in the frame to become Spurs' next manager after the club parted company with former boss Antonio Conte.

The Italian left N17 nearly two months ago, but as of yet, there has been no official appointment with interim boss Ryan Mason set to see out the rest of this Premier League season.

Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is believed to be out of the running, which comes as an arguable surprise, with the likes of Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi contending instead.

Spurs are also on the hunt for a new sporting director after former transfer chief Fabio Paratici was forced to resign from his post.

Going back to their manager search, reporter Kilpatrick has shared an update on Tottenham's links to Alonso, who has emerged as a candidate for the job in this last fortnight.

According to the journalist, writing a report for The Evening Standard, says former Leverkusen chief Tim Steidten is a contender to succeed Paratici, something which may well raise speculation in regard to a managerial move for Alonso.

Kilpatrick adds that the Bundesliga boss is "of interest" to Tottenham and chairman Levy by extension, but there are apparently some concerns over his lack of experience.

Despite Spurs' interest, with Alonso still in the running, he is rated as an outside contender to succeed Conte as things stand.

Who is Xabi Alonso?

The big name Liverpool and Real Madrid legend, not to mention World Cup winner with Spain, has been credited with transforming Leverkusen's fortunes as they gear up for a Europa League semi-final second leg against Roma this week.

Former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, speaking about his counterpart recently, has been left in awe of the 41-year-old – explaining to the media (via Football Italia and Yahoo News):

"If I am not wrong, he [Xabi] was coached by [Rafael] Benitez, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Pep] Guardiola, me and others.

“I think it’s normal that he takes more inspiration from some coaches more than others. Bayer are the best counter-attacking team I’ve seen, but if he prefers another style it’s another story. Surely, he is very pragmatic. He uses the style that suits his players more.”

If Alonso becomes more than just an outside contender, there are reasons to believe he could do a fine job at Spurs.