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Under new manager Vincent Kompany, Burnley were promoted back to the Premier League last season, after only one year in the Championship.

Despite being in charge for just one year the Belgian has completely revolutionised Burnley’s squad, with only seven players remaining from the side that was relegated.

Who has joined Burnley under Vincent Kompany?

Since joining Burnley in July 2022, the former centre-back has brought in 26 different players permanently, across three transfer windows and in the most recent window, he brought in 15 players.

Zeki Amdouni

£16m

James Trafford

£15m

Aaron Ramsey

£15m

Jordan Beyer

£13m

Sander Berge

£12m

Wilson Odobert

£11m

Lyle Foster

£11m

Dara O'Shea

£7m

Ameen Al-Dakhil

£5m

Benson Manuel

£4m

Anass Zaroury

£4m

Michael Obafemi

£4m

Darko Churlinov

£3.5m

Josh Cullen

£3m

Arijanet Muric

£3m

Luca Koleosho

£3m

Hannes Delcroix

£3m

Scott twine

£3m

Hjalmar Ekdal

£3m

Luke McNally

£2m

Vitinho

£1m

Samuel Bastien

£700k

Enock Agyei

£300k

CJ Egan-Riley

free

Lawrence Vigouroux

free

Nathan Redmond

free

Han-Noah Massengo

free

Prior to managing Burnley, the Manchester City legend was in charge of Belgian side Anderlecht for two years, this has led to him poaching some of his best players from his former side.

One of these players is 27-year-old midfielder Josh Cullen, and as it stands Kompany’s decision to sign the Irishman looks to be an inspired one.

How much did Burnley pay for Josh Cullen?

Kompany first signed Cullen for Anderlecht back in 2020 from West Ham for £500k, and during his two seasons in Belgium the midfielder would go on to make 80 appearances.

But when the four-time Premier League winner made the switch to Turf Moor, the Hammer's academy graduate was quick to follow.

Cullen became Kompany’s fourth signing and moved back to England just 11 days after his manager made the switch, for a fee of £3m including add-ons.

Since his signing last summer, the Irish international has already signed a new contract three-year contract with the Clarets.

After signing the deal, he announced he couldn't wait to continue playing for Burnley.

Speaking to Burnley he said:

“I’m really happy to extend my time here, especially off the back of last year which was a really successful year for the Club.

I can’t wait to continue my career with Burnley.

“It will be great to get back to Turf Moor this weekend and be in front of the fans again and hopefully get our first three points on the board.”

Why did Kompany sign Josh Cullen twice?

Kompany snapped up Cullen again after his excellent performances under him during the 2021/22 campaign, which saw Anderlecht finish third in the Belgian Pro League.

Per Sofascore, the English-born midfielder was his side’s third top-performing player, with an outstanding average rating of 7.20.

On top of this, he also ranked second for accurate passes per game (62.2), fourth for key passes per game (1.1), third for accurate long balls per game (4.4) and first for tackles per game (2), per Sofascore.

This shows just how integral he was to Kompany’s all-round play as his quality in many different areas allowed him to control the middle of the pitch.

Furthermore, while Cullen was on loan at Charlton from West Ham, then Irons captain Mark Noble revealed in the Evening Standard what a talented player he was.

Noble said:

“Josh has something you can’t coach,”

“He has that desire every day to improve.

“He’s a talented boy with a big heart and will enjoy a good career in football.

“It just shows you that if you’re prepared to back yourself and go out on loan, rather than staying in the comfort zone, you can do it.”

What has happened to Josh Cullen since moving to Burnley?

Cullen’s top-quality form continued after moving to Turf Moor as the midfielder was able to help guide Burnley to win the Championship last season.

His form was also shown through his stats, per FBref, last season he ranked in the top 4% of all European midfielders for passes completed, per 90 minutes.

Furthermore, he ranked in the top 7% for touches, top 2% for successful take-ons and top 7% for carries, per 90 minutes.

This shows how once again he was the star of Kompany's midfield, as all play was able to go through him, and then he had the ability to move the ball successfully up the pitch into an attacking position.

This was backed up by the Belgian colossus, who last season was full of praise for Cullen.

He said:

"I can't be complimentary enough, but I think everyone can see what he does.

"The team appreciates it; his strength is that he's the ultimate player that puts the team before himself.

“Football naturally always drives you towards being selfish, it just happens that way because you've got to look after yourself, and there are only very few players, despite all of that, who decide to make a conscious choice to put the team above themselves.

"You can't really scout that, you only know it when you work with players.

“The best way to describe Josh [Cullen] is that he came to Anderlecht, from Charlton, as a squad player, and he became the most important player in my squad.

"Then he came to Burnley, back in English football in the Championship, where he was really going to help us out, and he became one of the most important players in the team."

Due to his outstanding performances, the 27-year-old has seen his value rise astronomically, per Transfermarkt he is now rated at £11.1m meaning Burnley have seen a 270% increase in his value from when they signed him only a year ago.

Cullen has backed up his Championship performances by having a strong start to life in the Premier League.

So far this season he ranks as Burnley’s seventh-best-performing player, with an average rating of 6.73, per Sofascore.

On top of this, he has ranked joint first for big chances created per game (1), fourth for accurate passes per game (46.3) and third for tackles per game (1.3).

This shows that despite making a big step up the midfielder is still able have a positive effect on his side

He has also started every game and played every minute so far this season, while also providing an assist, which means he has been involved in 33% of Burnley’s goals.

The BCB head says the board is at an advanced stage of talks with the former South Africa batsman, and will also name a batting consultant soon – Neil McKenzie is reportedly a front-runner for this role

Mohammad Isam20-Dec-2017

BCB

The BCB has taken a slow and steady approach to appointing Bangladesh’s next head coach, according to president Nazmul Hassan. He also said that the board is at an advanced stage of talks with Gary Kirsten for a wide-ranging consultancy role, and days away from signing a new batting consultant for the senior side.”We are on the back foot, that’s for sure,” Hassan said. “[Chandika] Hathurusingha’s departure has been a blow. You can’t just take any coach, but someone who fits our environment and mentality. Bangladesh has reached a level which requires us to be thoughtful about bringing a quality coach. Not much chance of a trial and error; we cannot change much in our team. We are not in any hurry.”Kirsten was among the big-name coaching candidates linked to the head-coach’s role as well, but Hassan said that they are in talks with him about a more short-term role as he has two other coaching contracts in the IPL – he is likely to link up with Royal Challengers Bangalore – and the Big Bash League.”We were talking to Gary Kirsten for a consultant’s role. He would help us figure out what coach to hire for our national team, high-performance side and the Under-19s. He is booked up to February, in the Big Bash. He is involved with the IPL and Big Bash, which is why he is not interested to be the head coach.”If we permitted him to work in those leagues, then he may have agreed with us. But we can’t let our head coach go like that, which is what we have decided.”Hassan said that they are closing in on the deal with Kirsten. “He is available in the time outside his other roles. At this point, both sides are interested in the [consultancy] role. He will have an overall role in the development of Bangladesh cricket. It might be for six months, but it is hard to pinpoint these things without talking to him first. He is probably coming after February.”Hassan said that the new batting consultant appointment could be made as early as this week. Another former South Africa batsman in Neil McKenzie is reportedly a front-runner in the role, although the BCB was previously in talks with Grant Flower and Hashan Tillakaratne as well.”We are very close to announcing someone as a batting consultant. We wanted someone full-time but the person we’ve chosen is of a higher level. He said we don’t need a full-time batting consultant. He has said he will be here ahead of every series and when there are long breaks,” Hassan said, without revealing the name.

Crystal Palace are in negotiations regarding a loan deal to sign Chelsea ace Lewis Hall, according to reliable reports.

Who is Lewis Hall?

Hall is naturally a left-back and academy graduate at Stamford Bridge having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first team this summer having impressed during pre-season, but prior to that, he’s only ever made 12 senior appearances for his boyhood club in the Premier League.

The England youth international was statistically his side’s second best defensive performing player last season – albeit on limited game time – and it’s therefore been reported that the Blues are keen to reward him with a new contract, despite still having another three years to run on his existing one.

However, it’s important that the 18-year-old receives the sufficient game time he needs in order to take the next step in his career which will mean temporarily hitting the road should he want to be a regular starter elsewhere, and it would seem that he could be on his way to join Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.

Are Crystal Palace signing Lewis Hall?

According to Sky Sports' Transfer Centre, Crystal Palace are "in talks" with Chelsea regarding a loan deal for Hall this summer.

Pochettino does view the defender as a player in his "long-term plans" and "wants him to get regular football" during the upcoming season, therefore meaning that any kind of move would not include an option or obligation to buy as he would be returning to his parent club upon the conclusion of his spell in SE25.

The Eagles would be able to offer him the minutes he requires, so this is definitely one to keep a close eye on for developments in the coming days.

How good is Lewis Hall?

First of all, Crystal Palace have Tyrick Mitchell as their only option at left-back so it’s vital that Hodgson not only enters the market to find a back-up in that position but also to sign someone who can seriously push the former for his starting place. Having been lauded a “direct” player with great balance and ability on the ball by journalist Josh Bunting, Hall could be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

The Slough-born talent last season averaged 2.6 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per top-flight game, via WhoScored, so he’s strong in the natural defensive aspect of his play, but he’s even more of a threat when bursting down the flank to the final third.

Since the start of his career, Chelsea’s £7k-per-week earner has posted 32 goal contributions (19 assists and 13 goals) in 86 appearances which shows that he loves to use his pace to drive forward, whip tempting balls into the box and create as many chances for himself and his fellow teammates as possible.

Finally, Hall shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Jordan Ayew, so this existing connection that his representative already has to the club could potentially give them a small advantage should the hierarchy continue to pursue a deal in the final weeks of the window.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to bolster their ranks tenfold, with a surefire way to improve the squad and begin investing their huge influx of cash intelligently…

Who are Tottenham Hotspur signing?

Harry Kane's exit has seen Ange Postecoglou's transfer war chest heavily replenished, with the Australian likely to be handed plenty more funds to add to his already improved squad.

James Maddison headlines a group of six brand-new additions, on top of welcoming Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro on permanent deals. However, with a number of other stars that could still depart N17, perhaps a midfield makeover could be in order to supplement the England international.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Adding some steel and creativity just behind him, perhaps reigniting their interest in Douglas Luiz, could be the smart move to secure these qualities in their new-look engine room.

FootballTransfers value the Aston Villa ace at €36.8m (£31m), with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's potential sale likely to offset that fee.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

It is no surprise that the 25-year-old maestro has been so sought-after by some of England's elite, with north London rivals Arsenal seeing three bids rejected last summer.

He is such a malleable character, boasting such a varied skillset, that any club would benefit from his presence due to his adaptability.

If the squad is craving a goalscorer from deep then he can step up, but in the same way that he could also screen a backline with poise and power.

This shows up clearly in the data, which all combined to hand the Brazilian a 7.10 average rating last season in the Premier League.

That was a figure buoyed by his 12 goal contributions and 86% pass accuracy, supplemented by a further 1.2 key passes and two tackles per game, via Sofascore. None of Spurs' central midfielders could match his combined goal efforts or his key passes per game.

It is a testament to his classy all-rounder play style that he has been branded both an "enforcer" and a "wizard" by journalist Ashley Preece.

By bringing in a powerful Brazilian midfielder, there are parallels to be made with their 2010 acquisition of Sandro.

Brought in from Internacional, it took some time for the 34-year-old to adapt to English football, eventually endearing himself with the fanbase with his dominant displays in the engine room.

However, once it clicked, he admitted:

"I was destroying it. I scored against Chelsea and stood out in the Champions League. I’m a happy guy, spontaneous. Even without being able to speak English, I joked and laughed with everyone.”

Such was the relationship he shared with the club, he even suggested it was "sensational" and admitted leaving was the "biggest regret" of his career.

Former Lilywhites assistant Joe Jordan recalled another standout performance of his back in 2011, noting:

"Sandro was asked to do an awful lot against AC Milan because of the possession they had. He really showed his worth because we had to defend. He had to put out a few fires, get across the pitch, snuff that player out, get across the pitch again, get another tackle in and that’s his game."

Showcasing such defensive steel combined with that goalscoring talent he mentioned, and there are comparisons to be made between him and Luiz.

Although the latter arguably boasts far more offensive impetus, perhaps he could have a similarly influential effect on Postecoglou's side, leading them to a host of silverware that Sandro could not attain.

Sofyan Amrabat has turned down offers from Saudi Arabia as his priority is a switch to Manchester United, according to Fabrizio Romano

The Moroccan midfielder looks set to depart Fiorentina this summer.

What is the latest Sofyan Amrabat news?

It seems the midfielder has made his decision on his future.

According to a report from L'Equipe, the Fiorentina player was a target for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, who wanted to add him to their squad which includes new signings Edouard Mendy, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Allan Saint-Maximin. The report also stated that the Moroccan was set to make his decision on his preferred destination in the following days, and that his current club had resigned themselves to the fact that he was to depart this summer.

United have been long time admirers of Amrabat, having tried to bring in the midfielder back in the January window following his impressive performances during the World Cup that saw him get named in the World Cup Team of the Tournament.

The deal never happened and Amrabat remained with Fiorentina for the rest of the season, which was a campaign that saw him lose out in both the Coppa Italia final and the Europa Conference League final. Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag previously worked with the defensive midfielder at Utrecht, and is pushing for the club to complete the transfer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Amrabat had turned down the offer from Saudi Arabia, as he is focused on completing a switch to the Red Devils. The Italian journalist also stated that United are waiting on the sales for Fred and Van de Beek to fund the transfer.

"Sofyan Amrabat, rumoured as potential target for Al Ahli last week, from what I understand, he does not want to negotiate with Al Ahli, but also all Saudi clubs as his priority now is Europe. Sofyan Amrabat wants to go to Man United, so he rejected very important financial approaches from Saudi because he wants to wait for Man United.

"As I always told you, there is no official bid to Fiorentina as they have to sell Fred, and it’s not going to be to Galatasaray from what I’m told, so other clubs are keen on Fred. But also, Donny Van de Beek, the conversation with Real Sociedad is ongoing, so Man United wait to sell one between Van de Beek and Fred before proceeding, but both will leave guys by the end of the summer, and then they will proceed with a bid for Amrabat, that is the plan at the moment."

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Who do Man United have to sell for Amrabat?

There are two midfielders who could depart Old Trafford this summer to create the space for Amrabat.

One name Romano mentioned was Fred. The 30-year-old has seen his role reduced at United under ten Hag, and with the arrival of Mason Mount as well as the potential signing of Amrabat, opportunities would be even further limited for the Brazilian.

According to a report from 90min, Galatasaray have seen an offer rejected that fell below the asking price of £20m set by Man United, and have since pulled away according to Fabrizio Romano. Saudi clubs remain interested in the midfielder, and Fulham could reignite the interest they showed earlier on in the summer.

The other name mentioned by Romano was Van de Beek. The Dutch international has had a disappointing career at Old Trafford following his £39m switch from Ajax in 2020, having only made 60 appearances for the club during a three-year spell blighted by injury problems that have forced him to miss 52 games.

According to reports, Real Sociedad have opened talks regarding the midfielder despite concerns about the player's injury problems, with the asking price set to be £25m.

Leeds United are on the verge of signing Chelsea youngster Ethan Ampadu in the summer transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalists Nizaar Kinsella and Graham Smyth.

Who is Ethan Ampadu?

The 22-year-old is already a very experienced football at this early point in his career, having enjoyed various loan spells away from the Blues, including at RB Leipzig, Sheffield United, Venezia and most recently Spezia. Not only that, but he has won 43 caps for Wales, starting all three of his country's matches at the 2022 World Cup, prior to their group stage exit.

Ampadu has rarely managed to break into any manager's plans at Chelsea, however – he has only made 12 appearances overall – and with his current deal at Stamford Bridge expiring next year, this summer is their last opportunity to receive a fee for his signature, prior to him leaving for free in 2024.

With Leeds preparing for life back in the Championship and looking to make some important signings before their opening fixture at home to Cardiff City on August 6th, the Blues youngster looks like he could be an option to come in.

Could Leeds sign Ethan Ampadu?

According to The Evening Standard's Kinsella, Leeds are considering a making a move for Ampadu imminently, and appear to be the only club currently in the race to sign him:

"Chelsea are weighing up an offer from Leeds United for Ethan Ampadu. The 22-year-old has been included in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the pre-season tour of the USA, but could now stay behind to wrap up a move.

Smyth then followed that with his own update: "Leeds United in advanced talks with Chelsea for Ethan Ampadu, as reported by Nizaar Kinsella. Permanent deal. Likely to be first senior signing of the summer."

This could be a really shrewd piece of business by Leeds if they can entice Ampadu to the club in the near future, with Chelsea seemingly willing to sell him at this point in his contract.

The Welshman has some great experience, including in the Bundesliga, and his proven pedigree at international level only adds to his all-round reputation as a footballer.

He has been hailed as "versatile" by Wales manager Robert Page, given his ability to play as either as centre-back or central midfielder – 24 appearances came in the former for Spezia in Serie A last season, with 13 in the latter – and at 22, he still has so much improving to do as a player.

Ampadu may not be the most spectacular footballer around, often doing a solid, understated job instead of making headlines with match-winning displays, but Leeds needs someone of this ilk moving forward – a player who can be reliable week in, week out and help them make a quick return to the Premier League.

Some Sheffield United fans described him as "unbelievable" during his spell on loan at Bramall Lane, which suggests Whites supporters could also love him if he makes the switch to Elland Road.

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund, as the striker has now promised he'll move to Old Trafford, and he is currently waiting for the two clubs to strike an agreement, according to a report

Who are Man United signing this summer?

As reported by CaughtOffside, Man United are now firming up plans to solve their striker issues, with fresh approaches expected for Hojlund and Goncalo Ramos in the near future, as moves for Tottenham's Harry Kane and Napoli's Victor Osimhen now deemed unrealistic.

Kane's clear preference is to complete a move to Bayern Munich, with Tottenham never keen on selling their star player to a Premier League rival, while Napoli are not willing to accept offers of less than €150m (£128m) for Osimhen, making him too expensive for the Red Devils.

Ramos and Hojlund are now United's priority targets in attack, with Atalanta said to be holding out for a fee of £50m to sanction the striker's departure, and personal terms have already been agreed with the 20-year-old, who is keen on moving to Old Trafford.

According to a report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the young forward has now "promised himself" to Man United, and he is currently waiting to see whether the two clubs are able to strike an agreement.

After arriving in the Serie A from Sturm Graz in a €17.2m (£14.7m) move last summer, the starlet has done enough to impress Old Trafford chiefs, and it now appears as though the deal is there to be done, if they are willing to meet Atalanta's asking price.

How many goals has Rasmus Hojlund scored?

Despite regularly being compared to Manchester City star Erling Haaland, the Atalanta ace has not been quite as clinical in front of goal as the Norwegian throughout his career so far, netting nine goals in 32 Serie A games last season.

Similar to Haaland, the youngster also spent some time in the Austrian Bundesliga, where his attacking record was impressive, recording 12 goals and four assists in 21 appearances for Sturm Graz, and he has already scored six goals for Denmark.

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini was impressed by the former Sturm Graz man during his first season in Italy, saying:

"Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too. He has very similar characteristics to Haaland, not just his face".

Before also adding:

"Hojlund's so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m & that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity & can move his legs very fast. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day".

Although Erik ten Hag will no doubt be disappointed if he is unable to make a marquee signing, such as Kane or Osimhen, Hojlund has great potential, and given his age, he could lead the line for Man United for the next decade, and by the looks of things, we could see him in a United shirt next season.

They are on a four-match losing streak, but Mohali has often been helpful to fast bowling and Delhi Daredevils have a roster full of them

The Preview by Annesha Ghosh29-Apr-2017Match factsKings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils
Mohali, April 30, 2017
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)Head-to-headThis season: Delhi Daredevils handed Kings XI Punjab a 51-run drubbing in their first home game at Feroz Shah Kotla.Overall: In 19 games between these two teams, Kings XI have won 10 times. There are some caveats, however. Kings XI have lost to Daredevils four times in their last five matches but, in Mohali, they have lost only once in four games.Form guide

Kings XI Punjab (sixth) : lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 26 runs, defeated Gujarat Lions by 26 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by eight wickets
Delhi Daredevils (eighth): lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 7 wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 14 runs, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 15 runs

In the newsHashim Amla, who missed Kings XI’s last game with a hamstring injury, attended an optional training on Saturday and has “a chance to play on Sunday”, according to team-mate Shaun Marsh.Daredevils captain Zaheer Khan had to leave the field on Friday, clutching his hamstring, but at the post-match presentation, he said it didn’t “look that bad”.Marlon Samuels, Daredevils’ replacement for Quinton de Kock, has landed in the country but is yet to join the squad.West Indies allrounder Darren Sammy, who missed the first three weeks of this IPL due to injury, has joined the Kings XI squad and “is ready to play” the IPL again, having gone unsold at the auction last season.The likely XIsKings XI Punjab: 1 Martin Guptill/Hashim Amla, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 4 Manan Vohra, 5 Glenn Maxwell (capt), 6 Axar Patel, 7 Matt Henry 8 KC Cariappa, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 T Natarajan/ Ishant SharmaDelhi Daredevils: 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Karun Nair, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Chris Morris, 6 Corey Anderson/ Carlos Brathwaite 7 Ankit Bawne, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Zaheer Khan (capt), 11 Amit MishraStrategy puntKings XI could include New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry instead of Eoin Morgan or David Miller to beef up their bowling attack which has only taken 36 wickets in their eight games.Glenn Maxwell has made 55 runs in 29 balls against Amit Mishra, but the legspinner has dismissed him more than any other bowler in the IPL – four times. Expect this rivalry to take center stage early.Stats that matter Kings XI have registered the worst economy rate – 11.43 – among all teams in the last five overs this season. Daredevils, on the contrary, have been the most economical at the death, having conceded at 8.15 runs per over. Daredevils’ inexperienced batting line-up have not been able to handle the pressure of a chase, losing all of their three matches batting second. Their classy fast bowlers are capable of handling pressure better; both their wins in the tournament have come while defending totals. Shaun Marsh has scored only 41 runs off the 36 balls he has faced from Zaheer Khan and has been dismissed twice by the Daredevils captain. Marlon Samuels, who has played only ten innings in the IPL till date – the last of them in 2013 for the defunct Pune Warriors franchise – has a highest score of 46. In the Pakistan Super League, he scored 81 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 121, but did better in the Bangladesh Premier League, scoring 334 in eight innings at an average of 66.80. All the three Kings XI bowlers who have bowled three or more overs in the last five – Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma and Axar Patel – have leaked runs at 10 or more per over. Their combined returns: 6 for 250 off the 21.3 overs they sent down. Pace has been the preferred weapon of choice in Mohali, yielding 358 wickets at an average of 26.29. Spin, on the other hand, has accounted for 139 wickets at an average of 30.80. In the first IPL match at the PCA Stadium this season, fast bowlers scalped nine wickets while spinners bagged three.

Several newspapers and websites published the Madhya Pradesh’s batsman’s name and photograph erroneously stating he had been detained by police in Mumbai

Arun Venugopal23-Feb-2017On February 20, the day of the IPL auction, Harpreet Singh Bhatia was preparing for the Vijay Hazare Trophy with the Madhya Pradesh team in Indore when news reports emerged that the police had detained him for driving his car on to the platform of the Andheri railway station in Mumbai. It later emerged that the player in question was not Harpreet, but Harmeet Singh, the left-arm spinner who was part of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning side in 2012.According to the , multiple news agencies and websites had mixed up the names and published Harpreet’s photograph with the erroneous story. Some websites, the said, had not corrected the mistakes until late on Wednesday. By the time the amended reports clarified that Harpreet wasn’t involved, he had already spent a harrowing few days responding to calls and messages on his supposed detention.The incident, however, coincided with Harpreet, 25, not being picked in the IPL auction. Harpreet said he wasn’t upset about not being picked at the auction, but that he was “confused” about the circumstances leading to the outcome. He had finished as the leading run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali inter-zonal T20 tournament earlier this month, with 211 runs in four games, including a 51-ball 92 for Central Zone against South Zone.”It happens at times that you don’t get selected; I have no problems with that. This happened on auction day, so there was more confusion,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “But I will feel good if I get some clarity one way or the other. Did I go unsold in the normal course of things or was it because of this incident? This incident happened two hours before the auction and the reports were on social media in no time. Such reports would have sent a wrong message to any franchise.”The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association has supported Harpreet and pointed out that the “erroneous reporting has tarnished the name of this upcoming player beyond repairs. It has caused ‎mental trauma to the player and his goodwill.””The player also expresses that since this ‎report was widely circulated on the very same day of the IPL auction i.e. 20 February 2017, he harbours this reasonable apprehension that the IPL franchisee could have disregarded his candidature for selection, which otherwise was greatly supported by his consistent performance in BCCI domestic season and particularly the recently concluded T-20 Tournament for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,” MPCA secretary Milind Kanmadikar said in the release.”‎MPCA supports the player in this matter and requests BCCI/IPL to consider if this incidence has erased opportunity of his selection for IPL and in the event if any remedial action can be adopted to protect the future of the player.”He felt that the inevitable fall-out of the incident was a damaged reputation. “I felt bad not because of not being picked in the auction, but that whatever name I had earned due to my hard work has been spoilt for no fault of mine. I was disturbed, but my family was more disturbed than me. I have now come out of it because you have to be strong as a sportsman if you have to do well.”Harpreet also sympathised with Harmeet, his former team-mate at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, over the mix-up.”There is no fault of his in what has happened to me. Even he wouldn’t know what’s been happening – he must be as confused as I am,” he said. “I hope he is safe and there is no major issue. It isn’t nice when such an incident happens to someone you have played with.”Harpreet has played four IPL matches till date, turning out for Kolkata Knight Riders in one match in 2010 and three matches for the Pune Warriors between 2011 and 2012.

Tottenham Hotspur remain focused on their top summer target, with an update suggesting steady progress continues to be made…

What's the latest on James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur?

Taking to his Twitter, it was once again transfer guru Fabrizio Romano who offered the latest update on Ange Postecoglou's pursuit of James Maddison.

The Leicester City maestro remains embroiled in this transfer tussle between Spurs and Newcastle United, but with the latter having moved on to other targets, it leaves the former in the driving seat for the man valued at over £50m by his club.

The Italian journalist wrote on Saturday afternoon: "Tottenham will push again for James Maddison next week — he remains the priority target for Postecoglou in that position."

Could James Maddison take Heung-min Son's place?

One of the few feel-good stories that have surrounded the Lilywhites in recent years has been the partnership struck up between Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

As a quality creator and finisher, and an often-unstoppable speedy winger, the two struck up a bond that captured the imagination, even surpassing Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba for goals exchanged between the pair.

The South Korean has recorded 225 goal contributions across his 372 games in north London, yet saw a notable downturn last term that will leave Postecoglou with cause for concern.

Having notched 23 goals and a further 17 in the two respective seasons before the last, he would only muster ten league strikes most recently, leaving the England captain to shoulder most of the burden. His 30 goals marked an immense feat, as he took this weak side on his back.

However, he cannot be allowed to continue as the sole offensive threat.

The acquisition of Maddison could supplement his compatriot once again, especially given the 26-year-old managed 19 goal contributions in a Foxes side that fell to the drop. He too has shown his quality in a struggling outfit.

His ability to score and supplement from deep could see him ignite a new partnership in north London, where instead of speed being the main asset, a focus on technical excellence is preferred.

Either of these two creative stars could drop deep to pick out their advancing teammate, with whoever finds themself on the finishing end of the move likely to record an easy goal.

The former Norwich City star would likely prefer the former role, given Statman Dave's suggestion that he is a "magician". With 2.3 key passes and 1.7 successful dribbles per game last term too, a record better than Son's 1.8 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per match, this is a notion only emphasised further.

As the South Korean reaches the twilight years of his career, poised to turn 31 next month, Maddison is instead only just entering his prime years. He and Kane could replace one already legendary partnership with a new, fresh dynamic, to lay the foundations for Postecoglou's hopeful tenure.