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As Ange Postecoglou kicked off his Tottenham Hotspur tenure with a pre-season defeat to Premier League rivals West Ham United, it was perhaps clear as to why the Greek-Aussie has been looking to strengthen his defensive unit, in particular, this summer.

While it is often wise not to read too much into these warm-up encounters, the ex-Celtic boss may have still been concerned at seeing his side ship three times against the Hammers in Perth, with David Moyes' men surging into a two-goal lead inside 23 minutes.

Having endured the sixth-worst defensive record in the division last term, the Lilywhites will desperately need to improve next season if they are to have any hope of regaining their place in European competition, hence why a string of centre-back targets have been named.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

Much of the speculation at present appears to be surrounding the north London outfit's interest in Bundesliga duo, Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van den Ven, with Daniel Levy and co said to have been engaging in talks with Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, respectively, regarding the two central defenders.

That German-based pairing are not the only figures whom Tottenham are targetting, however, with The Sun having reported last week that Postecoglou is also showing an interest in Crystal Palace rock, Joachim Andersen, with Levy said to have been tracking the Denmark international since his prior stint on loan at Fulham.

While any deal for the former Lyon ace certainly won't come cheap – with the 27-year-old set to command a fee of £50m – his strong showings at Selhurst Park of late would suggest that he can be the defensive solution that Spurs are craving.

What is Joachim Andersen's style of play?

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse offers the benefit of being able to provide a towering, physical presence at the heart of the defence, while also having the quality to play out from the back when required, with that combination of qualities ensuring that the one-time Sampdoria man could be able to thrive at one of the Premier League's elite clubs.

That was the verdict of pundit Robbie Earle during Andersen's days at Craven Cottage, with the former Wimbledon midfielder discussing the defender's suitability to life at Liverpool:

“Right now, he would be a perfect fit for Liverpool Football Club, by the way. Good size, can play, looks commanding, looks like he can organise, he’s 24 years of age."

Those at N17 will also be intrigued by Andersen's apparent likeness to Manchester City's treble-winning ace, Ruben Dias, with the pair said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, according to FBref.

That is shown by the two men's desire and willingness to get on the ball, with the Palace gem notably ranking in the top 20% among his European peers for attempted passes, while Dias ranks in the top 1% in that regard.

Equally, the pair are also able to offer a real threat at the other end of the pitch, with Andersen ranking in the top 13% for touches in the attacking penalty area, while his Portuguese counterpart ranks in the top 18% for that same metric.

That likeness can also be seen by their leadership qualities, with Andersen having been named captain during his temporary stint with the Cottagers, while Dias has also taken on the armband at times at the Etihad, having been dubbed a "leader of men" by Sky Sports pundit, Jamie Redknapp.

That comparison to the latter man is of interest such has been the 26-year-old's impact in Manchester over the last three years, with the former Benfica man having been hailed as a "man mountain" by pundit Michael Ball due to his standout showings under Pep Guardiola.

For Spurs to then snap up their own version of the 6 foot 1 titan in the form of Andersen could prove to be just what Postecoglou is searching for.

Aston Villa still need further additions in midfield this summer and Leeds United enforcer Tyler Adams could be someone that they firm up interest in, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Tyler Adams joining Aston Villa this summer?

According to The Athletic, Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams is someone who the Villans are keen on adding to their squad this summer as Unai Emery eyes reinforcements in the engine room.

Aston Villa have been keen on the USA international for 'some time' and he performed well for his current employers last season despite their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

In total, Adams made 26 appearances for Leeds United across all competitions last term, as per Transfermarkt. During the campaign, the 24-year-old's ability to win challenges stood out, winning 3.7 tackles per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

West Ham United have been name checked as another potential destination for Adams as the Hammers seek to land a replacement for Declan Rice, with James Ward-Prowse and Denis Zakaria being earmarked as alternative targets by David Moyes, as per The Daily Mail.

Contractually, Adams, who has been hailed as a "leader", is believed to earn around £55,000 per week at Elland Road on a contract that runs until June 2027, as per Capology.

High-flyers Aston Villa have already added to their midfield department this window by bringing in Youri Tielemans from Leicester City on a free transfer.

Nevertheless, journalist Jacobs is of the belief that the Villans will need to add further depth to their options in the middle of the park and wouldn't be surprised if they exploit Leeds United's relegation to try and land Adams.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated: "But I think that Villa in particular feel that even though they've brought in Youri Tielemans, the midfield still needs strengthening. And that might well allow them to capitalise on Leeds' relegation and escalate their pursuit of Tyler Adams."

Who else have Aston Villa been linked with this window?

According to The Daily Mail, Aston Villa are keen on both Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby and Rennes man Jeremy Doku as they look to strengthen the flanks this summer.

Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr are 'threatening' to stump Aston Villa in their pursuit of Diaby after the Villans saw an opening bid of £30 million rebuffed by Bayer Leverkusen.

According to L'Equipe, Aston Villa also lead the race to sign Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix, who endured a forgettable spell on loan at Chelsea last term.

Marca journalist David G. Medina has followed up on the story, stating on Twitter: "As we have counted in marca there is NO interest from PSG in Joao. The one who DOES love the Portuguese is Aston Villa. L'Equipe, the most reliable medium with PSG and with so many other topics, confirms it."

Telegraph Sport claim that Aston Villa are considering making an approach for Nottingham Forest striker Brennan Johnson; however, the Reds are said to value the Wales international at a fee exceeding £50 million.

In the next few weeks, it wouldn't be surprising if developments occur concerning potential incomings at Aston Villa as boss Emery looks to get his squad in shape for a commanding schedule in 2023/24 that will involve juggling both domestic and European football.

Everton could potentially complete the signing of Leeds United striker Rodrigo this summer, according to an update from journalist Paul Brown.

Have Everton been linked with Rodrigo move?

The Blues remained in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth last season, staying up on the final day after a nerve-shredding 1-0 victory at home to Bournemouth.

After two poor years in the top flight, it is essential that Everton now kick on and look to finish higher up the table, but new signings will be required in order for that to happen, with quality too often lacking all over the pitch of late.

Rodrigo is one player who has been linked with a summer move to Elland Road, having suffered relegation with Leeds United last month. It is highly unlikely that he will stay on and play in the Championship in 2023/24, so a new challenge will appeal to him instead, with his current deal expiring next summer.

Are Everton being backed to sign Rodrigo?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown talked up the idea of Everton making a move for Rodrigo during the summer transfer window, saying they would be able to fund his services:

"Rodrigo, clearly, is the kind of signing that Everton could currently fund. Until new investment comes in and the board is properly reshuffled, it's difficult for Everton to commit huge funding to any kind of transfer at the moment.

"That is an interesting one. He does have a pretty good goalscoring record in the Premier League, particularly if you compare him to Everton's current strikers."

Rodrigo could be a strong short-term signing for Everton, providing Sean Dyche with the extra firepower that is needed, considering they only scored 34 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, highlighting the importance of bringing in more natural goalscorers.

At 32, the £100,000-a-week Leeds man isn't getting any younger, but eight goals in 28 caps for Spain outlines his pedigree as a footballer, and he is still at a level where he can be a key man for the Blues for a couple of years. He was also described as "absolutely sensational" by Gary Neville last season.

Of course, the hope is that Everton become more financially strong this summer if the ownership issue changes, but for now, players of Rodrigo's ilk are ideal, with his experience and eye for goal both weapons that can aid Dyche's side and help them pull away from the relegation zone.

Canterbury fluffed the chance to seal the Plunket Shield with one round of fixtures to spare, as they failed to defend 346 against Central Districts, succumbing to a four-wicket defeat in Nelson.An outright win would have wrapped up the title for Canterbury, and Peter Fulton appeared to set them on course with a first-innings hundred, taking them to 388. Adam Milne took 3 for 36 for Central Districts, his first wickets since his return from injury­, in the third match of his comeback. Central Districts batsman Will Young then responded with a hundred of his own, making it his second consecutive Plunket shield century. However, only one other player -­ George Worker with 72 -­ managed over 40 and Central Districts were bowled out for 315, trailing by 73, with Ed Nuttall starring with the ball taking 4 for 49.Cole McConchie followed up his 70 from the first innings with 131 in the second, and Canterbury declared at 273 for 8, meaning they needed to bowl the opposition out for under 346 to secure the Plunket Shield. But contributions from a number of Central Districts batsmen, led by a sedate 109 from Jesse Ryder, thwarted Canterbury as they slumped to a four-wicket defeat, taking the three-way race to the title to the final round of matches.Northern Districts, the third team in the title race, ­kept their hopes alive with a nine-wicket victory over Wellington in Mount Maunganui. They were in control from the start, as a five-for from offspinner Joe Walker skittled Wellington for 151, with Fraser Colson (66) the only one offering meaningful resistance. Peter Younghusband’s five-for meant Northern Districts could muster only 262, with eight of the eleven batsmen reaching double figures, and take a 111-run lead.Wellington opener Michael Papps was the only one who ensured his bowlers would have something to bowl at, scoring 160 off his side’s 269 runs, including an 89-run tenth-wicket partnership that set Northern Districts a target of 159. However, it was a target that never troubled them ­despite the early loss of Henry Cooper as unbeaten half centuries from Dean Brownlie (76) and Bharat Popli (75) took Northern Districts home by nine wickets to set up a grandstand finish to the Plunket Shield.Colin Munro’s rich form since being dropped from the New Zealand ODI squad continued as his third first-class hundred in as many games took Auckland to an eight-wicket victory over Otago in the Plunket Shield.After being put in to bat, Otago’s innings was a tale of several players getting starts with no one able to kick on. Five of their top seven batsmen were dismissed between 31 and 50 as the innings was wrapped up for 282. Auckland fast bowler Lockie Ferguson was the most successful, picking up five wickets in the innings and eight in the match.It was a delicately poised game for the first two innings, with Munro’s century helping Auckland to a 22-run lead, but a disastrous morning session on the third day for Otago had them slipping to 59 for 7. Anaru Kitchen rescued his side from falling for an embarrassingly low total with an explosive 101-ball 108, which pushed Otago to 205 and set Auckland a target of 184 for victory.Auckland made light work of what could have been a tricky chase with openers Michael Guptill-Bunce and Robert O’Donnell putting on a 61-run partnership at more than five an over. After their departure, Glenn Phillips (59 off 43) and Rob Nicol raced to victory with an unbeaten 96-run partnership in 12.2 overs and finished the match with a day to spare.Defending champions Auckland were tied at first place with Canterbury, who could pull ahead if they win their on-going bout with Central Districts.

Scott Boland’s 4 for 30 helped Melbourne Stars restrict Adelaide Strikers to 152, a total chased down with the help of Ben Hilfenhaus’ violent 32

The Report by Will Macpherson at the MCG10-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Hilfenhaus’ unbeaten 32 off 24 balls helped Melbourne Stars stave off an accurate bowling performance from Adelaide Strikers•Cricket Australia

Six nights ago, Eoin Morgan drove Ben Hilfenhaus down the ground for six to secure an unlikely win for Sydney Thunder over Melbourne Stars.Thus it felt poetic that Hilfenhaus’ fraught, violent innings of 32 saw his team over the line by two wickets and with three balls to spare against Adelaide Strikers at the MCG, moving the Stars to third on the BBL table.On New Year’s Eve, 152 had been enough for Strikers to pull off an unlikely heist against Sydney Sixers. Against the Stars, despite the best efforts of their new signing Ish Sodhi, that same figure – which looked underpar at the innings break – was not quite enough. With four defeats to their name, their hopes of making the knockouts are all but over.Strikers’ fast start … and slow deathDavid Hussey stuck the Strikers in and 41 balls later, he’d have been wondering if he made the right call. Ben Dunk, the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, had lost his opening partner Jake Weatherald, but raced to 35, and looked in fine touch. He had run twos hard, and picked the gaps; Strikers were 60-1, and cruising.But Hussey’s trump card, 19-year-old Liam Bowe, tossed the last ball of his first over up and Dunk bit – a touch of dip saw him fail to get to the pitch and he picked out mid-off, where the captain took a fine catch. From there, everything slowed up for the Strikers. With Dunk gone, they failed to score a boundary for seven overs. Brad Hodge and Tim Ludeman struggled for fluency and slogged their wickets away in the same Scott Boland over.With all Stars bowlers impressing (all six who bowled finished with an economy rate of 7 or 7.50), a low total was always on the cards. It took until the 18th over for Jono Dean to hit the Strikers’ first six, but he became Boland’s fourth wicket two balls later. In the following over, Ben Hilfenhaus found himself on a hat-trick.A spinner called elbowEven Kevin Pietersen admitted it was the first time he had seen Bowe, the bespectacled lad from Bendigo, bowl. But, with his funky chinaman bowling and subtle variations, he proved a triumph – and, as if to prove a point, immediately became Twitter’s top trend in Australia. His performance would have eased the Stars’ worries about the absence of Adam Zampa for the rest of the tournament.The bespectacled Liam Bowe finished with 1 for 21 on debut•Cricket Australia

Ish’s instant impactThe big difference between this year and the last – when they topped the table – for the Strikers has been the absence of their spin twins, Jon Holland (injured) and Adil Rashid (with England). So when Chris Jordan went down with a hamstring injury to compound their depleted bowling stocks, Jason Gillespie turned to Ish Sodhi.His debut could barely have gone better. He belted the final ball of Strikers’ innings for six that took the score over 150. Then, in his first over had Peter Handscomb bowled with a topspinner, and shed just two singles. His second went for five. David Hussey hit the first ball of his third down the ground for six, but the second was caught brilliantly at midwicket. In his final over, Evan Gulbis smote a six, then nudged into the leg side, with an eye on two. Sodhi sprinted across to midwicket. Pietersen hesitated turning for the second, Sodhi turned and threw to the bowlers end, where Hodge had crept in to remove the bails. It was a spectacular piece of fielding to complete a spectacular debut. It was not quite enough.The vital 18th How often does the 18th over of the chase turn a T20? Wes Agar, debutant and brother of Ashton, had been savaged by Quiney in the first over of the chase, but returned in the 16th, and bowled five dots to Hilfenhaus. Hodge trusted the youngster with another over.He nailed four down the ground, scampered two to long-on, then slogged four more through square leg. He swung and missed, then two more were slashed through the covers. A slower ball ended the over, and Hilfenhaus flat-batted it down the ground for six.There was still time for a twist. Ben Laughlin bowled Gulbis and Boland in the 19th, meaning three were required from the last. Hilfenhaus and Beer traded singles, and the game was done.

Suranga Lakmal picked up four wickets in an innings for only the second time in a 32-Test career as South Africa ended the first day of their Test series against Sri Lanka at a vulnerable 267 for 6

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:26

‘Bold move to bat first on this wicket’ – Duminy

Suranga Lakmal picked up four wickets in an innings for only the second time in a 32-Test career as South Africa ended the first day of their Test series against Sri Lanka at a vulnerable 267 for 6. It was a strange, seesawing day in which it was hard to say if South Africa failed to make full use of good batting conditions or if Sri Lanka’s bowling attack was too reliant on Lakmal to fully exploit a greener-than-usual St George’s Park pitch. It may need South Africa to bowl on this surface for a complete picture to emerge.Faf du Plessis trusted history, which said this was among the slower surfaces in South Africa, over the appearance of the pitch, and conditions proved to be a mixed bag. South Africa’s openers added 104 and all of their top five got starts, but none of them carried on beyond 63. None of them were really at fault for their dismissals apart from JP Duminy, who top-scored and gave his wicket away in one of the hinge moments of the day.Perhaps Sri Lanka could have had South Africa in a worse position had Lakmal enjoyed better support from the two other frontline quicks. It was instructive that when Sri Lanka took the second new ball – as soon as it became available – it was Angelo Mathews who shared it with Lakmal rather than Nuwan Pradeep or Dushmantha Chameera. It was also instructive that Sri Lanka’s second-most successful bowler on the day wasn’t a seamer but the ageless Rangana Herath, whose dismissals of Duminy and Temba Bavuma, both against the run of play, changed the complexion of the day.When Duminy decided to sweep Herath in the 71st over of the day, South Africa were 213 for 3. Duminy was batting on 63 and was looking in the form of his life, driving like a dream through mid-off and extra-cover. The ball wasn’t the safest to sweep. It was pitching outside off stump, but not far enough outside off stump for the batsman to be able to use his front pad as a second line of defence if it turned past his bat. Duminy missed, Herath hit front pad, and DRS could not save the batsman when he reviewed the on-field decision.Four overs later, Herath hurried one on with the arm to beat Bavuma’s back-foot defensive. This time the on-field decision was not out, and the ball looked like it may have been sliding down leg. Herath didn’t look convinced himself, but with only 5.1 overs left for the reviews to be reset, Sri Lanka chanced their arm, and ball-tracking returned three reds and sent Bavuma back. South Africa had slipped from 213 for 3 to 225 for 5.Each of Suranga Lakmal’s four wickets was either caught behind or in the slips•AFP

Du Plessis and Quinton de Kock saw off Lakmal’s first over with the second new ball, and when de Kock flicked and slashed him for two fours in the second over of his spell – his 20th of the day – it seemed that the day’s efforts might have been telling on the fast bowler. But he was still more than capable of bowling the wicket-taking ball: de Kock took a single to bring du Plessis on strike, and out came the perfect line to pin du Plessis to the crease, the perfect line to make him poke, and a bit of outswing to graze his edge through to first slip.The same ingredients had contributed to his first three wickets as well. All three came at the start of new sessions. South Africa went to lunch 92 for 0. Lakmal shaped one away from the right-handed Stephen Cook, then shaped another away from the left-handed Dean Elgar, and suddenly Dinesh Chandimal had two catches behind the wicket and South Africa were 105 for 2. Duminy and Hashim Amla then added 78, before Lakmal struck in the third over after tea, angling the ball into Amla and then moving it away to find his edge through to Chandimal once again.Amla fell for 20, and his average dipped below 50 for the first time since November 2012. It had been a strange innings, his strike rate 26.31, made stranger by Duminy’s fluency at the other end.The left-handed Duminy scorched the very first ball he faced to the cover boundary, while the right-handed Amla took 56 balls to hit his first four, stepping down the track to whip Rangana Herath wide of mid-on. Duminy flowed onto the front foot and got his head over the ball at every opportunity, while Amla was often crease-bound after making that big back-and-across trigger movement. Duminy found the gaps without even trying, while Amla timed drives and punches sweetly but straight to fielders.Still, it took a peach of a delivery to dismiss him. Lakmal always looked capable of delivering one. Less so Nuwan Pradeep and Dushmantha Chameera, who were wayward through the day, and released the pressure on South Africa’s openers with a steady stream of deliveries at their pads in an otherwise quiet first session.Aside from the odd flirt outside off stump, the shuffling, fidgety Cook showed an excellent understanding of his own game. He took full advantage of anything remotely near his pads, and scored the bulk of his runs – 41 out of 59 – through the leg side, primarily through flicks and glances as well as one sweep in front of square against Rangana Herath.Elgar showed excellent judgement outside off stump, leaving 39 of the 86 balls he faced from Sri Lanka’s three seamers, but was quick to pounce on anything overpitched, timing his drives sweetly through mid-off and extra-cover. Cook took the bulk of the strike during the opening partnership, facing 125 balls to Elgar’s 89.

Arsenal have been linked to a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his squad this summer.

After narrowly missing out on their first league title since 2004 to Manchester City, the Spaniard will aim to bridge the gap on the champions ahead of the new campaign, which they could do so in signing this star.

What’s the latest on Kai Havertz to Arsenal?

As reported by journalist Alex Goldberg via AFCStuff, Arsenal are eyeing Chelsea forward Kai Havertz this summer.

The German is reportedly a player the Gunners “really want” the ace, who is expected to depart Stamford Bridge as per The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg.

Steinberg’s report claims that Chelsea could demand a fee in the region of £75m for Havertz, who was linked to Real Madrid earlier this summer.

What could Kai Havertz bring to Arsenal?

Lauded as “incredibly talented” by former boss Graham Potter, the German has been one of Chelsea’s star performers since joining the side in 2020.

The 23-year-old has contributed to 47 goals in 139 appearances in all competitions for the Blues as per Transfermarkt, and could be a revolutionary signing for Arsenal should rumours be believed.

While Arteta has sculpted a dominant attack at the Emirates, unlocking the best out of captain Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian could be taken to the next level in playing with Havertz.

The Spaniard could capture the essence of a former 'dynamic duo' that the German international was once part of if the Arsenal boss opted to equip him as a central attacking midfielder rather than an out-and-out forward.

When playing at Bayer Leverkusen, the Chelsea gem was deployed in the middle of the park in a 4-3-3 formation, identical to what’s on show in Arteta’s system in north London.

During this time, Havertz formed a dynamic partnership with Julian Brandt, with him identified as the goalscorer of the two, while the now Borussia Dortmund ace acted as the creator.

In the 2018/19 season, the duo contributed to 38 of Leverkusen’s 69 goals, with Havertz scoring 17 and assisting three, and Brandt scoring seven and assisting 11, as per WhoScored.

Unleashing Havertz in midfield alongside Odegaard could replicate the success the German had in the Bundesliga alongside his national teammate.

Hailed as being Arsenal’s ‘magical conductor’ by journalist Charles Watts via GOAL, the 24-year-old averages 2.1 key passes per game in the Premier League this season, similar to Brandt’s 2.6 in the Bundesliga when playing alongside Havertz.

Such numbers signify that Arsenal’s number eight could be a perfect outlet for the Chelsea whiz to thrive alongside, and form a potential marriage as strong as his previous one with Brandt in Germany.

With a hefty price tag above his head, only time will tell if the Gunners will be willing to pay the fee to their rivals for the £150k-per-week star, however, there’s little doubt over the impact he could have in Arteta’s system.

ScorecardNick Gubbins was in the runs for Middlesex•Getty Images

At 4.36pm on June 11 on a sun-drenched Lord’s day, Nick Compton trudged back through the Long Room at Lord’s. Compton had hit a trio of boundaries but, he knew, his 19 was nothing like sufficient to maintain the tenuous hold on his international career.A few days after, Compton announced that he was taking a break from all cricket. The reaction was understandable. Few cricketers have devoted so much of themselves to getting a chance in Test cricket. Having been dropped for the first time, in 2013, Compton struggled for motivation at having his dream taken from him, on the brink of an Ashes series.Yet he reoriented himself to returning to county cricket, moved back to Middlesex and, several thousand hours of hard work later, was recalled to the England side. A fine 85 in Durban helped to set up England’s series triumph in South Africa, but Compton’s Test returns deteriorated rapidly thereafter and, by the end of the series with Sri Lanka, to drop him from the side almost seemed an act of mercy.Compton earned himself a second act in Test cricket but, given his age and an often painstaking style at the crease, there will surely be no third act. So if he is to find fulfilment in the shires, it will not come through rekindling his England ambitions. It will have to come, instead, from taking pleasure in county cricket for its own sake: thinking not about what he has lost, but what he still has.And for all Compton’s anguish about the curtailment of his international career, he has still returned to a position of remarkable privilege: batting at No. 3, on his home ground of Lord’s, for the county best-placed to win the County Championship. It is not such a bad lot.So at 12.37pm Compton entered Lord’s by the very steps he had walked up disconsolately 55 days ago. He emerged with Middlesex having lost an early wicket in reply to Surrey’s 415, and Tom Curran bowling a zesty new-ball spell. There are exactly the conditions in which Compton’s defensive fortitude is so prized.If Compton felt any vulnerability, Surrey were determined to pry on it. He was greeted by a short leg and three slips and, perhaps, a chirp or two. It might not be Test cricket, but Division One of the County Championship is still a ruthless place.Compton’s first ball was a good length delivery outside off stump which implored him to play. That he did, defending the ball to third slip. Two balls later Compton pushed a ball into the covers and ran a single that was sharp without quite being one of Kevin Pietersen’s famed Red Bull runs.When he returned from the lunch interval, it was Compton’s ill-fortune to be stuck facing Tom Curran. A couple of times he played and missed, a couple of times Compton held his bat inside the line of the ball. When Curran dropped short, Compton rocked back and pulled him to the square leg boundary. But the illusion of release was deceptive: Stuart Meaker located extra pace, and Compton dragged the ball on. His off stump was left isolated and alone, and perhaps Compton felt the same as he walked back for 11 runs off 43 balls, the sort of innings that explained why he was here, rather than at Edgbaston, in the first place.Some at Lord’s believe that, in time, Nick Gubbins might go on to emulate Compton in playing for England. Unusually for an English opener, he seems particularly proficient against spin, and some sumptuous shots against Zafar Ansari demonstrated as much. One stood out: Gubbins took a step-down the wicket to meet the ball, flicked his wrists like he was playing a top-spin forehand, and stood to admire the ball clearing long-on for six.The shot also spoke of Middlesex’s determination not to allow Ansari to settle into a rhythm. But within three overs Ansari had snared two wickets: Dawid Malan, caught at short leg, and then Gubbins, bowled round his leg sweeping. Both wickets were vindication for Ansari bowling with more pace at the start of his spell, and the adjustment spoke of his shrewd cricketing brain and nurturing by Gareth Batty.Batty himself bowled with typical guile, adjusting his pace subtly, gesticulating to his fielders to move an inch here or an inch there, and giving off the air of a man relishing the tussle. George Bailey’s hard hands created an acute sense of vulnerability. On 2, Bailey edged to short leg but a sharp chance was put down; three runs later, Bailey inside-edged Meaker for four.On a day in which 11 Australian wickets fell for 77 runs in a Test in Sri Lanka, Bailey could not restore the reputation of Australian batsmanship. Indeed, against spin he inspired scarcely more confidence than Australia’s motley crew in Galle. After a few isolated glimpses of his assertive best, Bailey succumbed lbw, sweeping, Batty’s exhortations to the umpire answered.Now, at 204 for 5, Surrey could sense a hefty first innings lead, but John Simpson’s adhesive half-century was infused with the grit that has lifted Middlesex to the summit of the Championship table. Yet this Lord’s pitch is showing modest signs that it will deteriorate over the final two days, and Surrey’s spin twins will believe they can take the bulk of the 15 Middlesex wickets that remain in this match. For all Middlesex’s resolve, spectacular fielding from Rory Burns, flicking the ball back from the ropes to save two from the day’s penultimate ball, was a testament to Surrey’s spirit.

Glasgow Rangers are believed to be interested in bringing Lausanne-Sport left-back Archie Brown to Ibrox this summer, according to a fresh update.

Do Rangers need defensive additions?

Michael Beale's side have had a solid season overall, but ultimately, they have fallen short in every competition they have played in. Unfortunately, rivals Celtic not only pipped the Gers to Scottish Premiership title glory, but also beat them in the Scottish Cup semi-finals and Scottish League Cup final.

It is a further sign that Rangers need to go up a gear next season, in order to close the gap between themselves and the Hoops, with new signings vital to making that happen.

Additions are needed in various areas of the pitch and left-back is a position that could certainly be added to, in order to increase the competition for places, and keeping the likes of Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz on their toes. The former is out of contract in 2024, so he could even depart this summer, leaving a void in the process.

A new update suggests that the Gers may have a potential candidate to come in this summer.

Could Rangers snap up Brown this summer?

According to The Scottish Daily Mail [via Ibrox News], Rangers are eyeing a move for Brown at the end of the season, with the deal possibly costing more than £2m.

"Rangers have placed Lausanne’s highly-rated left-back Archie Brown on a list of potential signings. Turning 21 this weekend, the 6ft 3in defender has claimed five goals and five assists and has played first-team football as both a left-sided centre-half and a left full-back.

"Up for grabs for a fee in excess of £2million this summer, FC Copenhagen have shown an interest along with clubs across Europe. First-choice Borna Barisic is poised for talks with Micheal Beale over his future this summer, with his current deal entering its final 12 months."

Brown could be an exciting young addition at Ibrox in the summer transfer window, with the 20-year-old joining Swiss side Lausanne from Derby County back in 2021, making 39 appearances so far, and scoring five goals and registering four assists.

While he may not necessarily come in as an immediate starter, the left-footed defender is someone who could be viewed as both a strong squad addition and a future regular, assuming he continues to develop.

He registered 19 goal contributions (11 goals and eight assists) in 36 U18s Premier League games for Derby, highlighting his attacking pedigree from left-back, and he could benefit from working under a coach of Beale's quality.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Arnaut Danjuma could still be a big player at Hotspur Way this season, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Arnaut Danjuma?

Since arriving from Villarreal on a loan deal in January, Danjuma has managed to make just nine appearances in a Tottenham jersey, netting two goals in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

The Netherlands international is yet to start a match in the Premier League, having made just four outings as a substitute in total as the Lilywhites continue to struggle on the pitch.

The Times report that Spurs have the option to make Danjuma's stay in north London a permanent one for a fee of £27 million; however, it is unclear if they will activate his option-to-buy at this moment.

As per The Liverpool Echo, former Tottenham head coach Cristian Stellini commented on the 26-year-old's lack of first-team minutes since joining the club, stating:

“Danjuma is a good player, his effort is fine, we are happy with him. He needs to wait for his time because with our squad it is not easy to play in the front three. It’s not easy for him. We understand him but we are happy.”

And, speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones still thinks Danjuma could have his part to play for Tottenham this campaign and believes he has shown positive signs in his limited time on the pitch.

Jones told FFC: "There have been glimpses of his threat and he's got that pace and directness that Tottenham don't really have elsewhere. I hope for his sake that he gets a big moment or two before the end of the season."

Should Danjuma be given more minutes at Tottenham Hotspur?

At this point, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to give Danjuma an opportunity to showcase his abilities to the Tottenham support, who are in dire need of a lift due to their turbulent nature both on and off the pitch at present.

Measuring his exploits in a Lilywhites' shirt is probably an unfair way of gauging the capability of the Lagos-born man; however, his exploits for parent club Villarreal in 2021/22 were very impressive, as he managed to score 16 times and lay on four assists in 34 outings for the Yellow Submarine, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Danjuma managed to record an average of 2.7 shots per game in La Liga last term, demonstrating his capacity to regularly cause problems to opposition backlines.

In the final stretch of 2022/23, it may be worth Spurs giving the former Bournemouth ace a chance to stake his claim as they battle to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive.