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Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth could be looking to raid former club Brighton and Hove Albion this summer, amid reports that the Magpies are one of the clubs showing an interest in midfield maestro, Alexis Mac Allister.

What's the latest on Mac Allister to Newcastle?

According to 90min, the Tynesiders are among a host of Premier League teams who are closely monitoring the Argentine's situation at the Amex, with the report suggesting that the 24-year-old is looking to leave the Seagulls at the end of the season.

The 14-cap international – whose current deal is set to expire in 2025 – has attracted such intense interest as a result of his vital role in his nation's World Cup success last year, having played in six of the seven tournament games for the eventual winners.

As the piece outlines, while Brighton would be reluctant to cash in on the highly-coveted asset this summer, there may be a willingness to sell provided the price is right, with CBS reporter Ben Jacobs previously revealing that Roberto De Zerbi and co could be set to demand more than £60m.

How could Mac Allister fit in at Newcastle?

As noted above, Mac Allister truly put himself on the map as a result of his displays for his country in Qatar, having arguably been "one of the best players" at the tournament, according to his club boss.

That form has also been replicated in the Premier League with the former Argentinos Juniors ace – who arrived in England on a £7m deal back in 2019 – having already scored seven goals from his midfield berth from 21 appearances, while also providing one assist in that time.

The gifted playmaker – who has been branded a "baller" by Statman Dave – has showcased his all-round quality after also averaging 2.4 tackles per game as a marker of his defensive prowess, as well as completing an impressive 72% of his total dribbles.

Such standout form has contributed to the £50k-per-week ace achieving an average match rating of 7.23 so far this term in the top-flight, as per Sofascore, with that only bettered by Kieran Trippier (7.74) among those at St James' Park – excluding Martin Dubravka (7.60) who has made just a solitary league outing.

Adding such a classy individual to Eddie Howe's ranks could allow the former Bournemouth boss to fashion a truly mouthwatering midfield partnership involving Mac Allister and current talisman, Bruno Guimaraes.

The latter man has emerged as a leading presence for the northeast side since arriving from Lyon back in January 2022, scoring nine goals and laying on four assists in just 44 games in all competitions from his deep-lying berth.

A goal threat like Mac Allister, the Brazilian also mirrors his fellow South American star in being able to offer a real ball-winning presence in the centre of the park, showcased by the fact that the 25-year-old averages 2.2 tackles per game from his 19 league appearances this season.

To have two individuals who can impact proceedings at both ends of the pitch working in tandem would certainly allow Newcastle to push on even further next season, with Ashworth needing to utilise his Brighton connections in order to get a deal over the line.

Manchester United are reportedly one of several big Premier League clubs showing an interest in signing Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

The Lowdown: Mac Allister shines for club and country

The 24-year-old’s stock has risen greatly in the past six months or so, following a string of impressive performances for both Brighton and Argentina.

Mac Allister tasted World Cup glory with his country in Qatar, registering an assist in the final win over France, and he has also scored six times in the league for the Seagulls.

The Argentine is likely to be a wanted man come the end of the season and a new update further suggests that that is the case.

The Latest: United eyeing up move

According to Football Insider, United are ‘registering an interest’ in Mac Allister ahead of a potential summer move, although Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are also in the mix.

The player himself is thought to be ‘ready to go’ to a bigger team, having spent four years in a Brighton shirt since joining from Argentinos Juniors in 2019.

The Verdict: Could be an ideal signing

Mac Allister could be a great signing by United if they manage to get a deal over the line, with the 14-cap Argentina international possessing so many attributes that could appeal to Erik ten Hag.

A player full of intelligence, quality and hard work, the £63,000-a-week midfielder has averaged 2.6 tackles per game in the league this season, as well as enjoying an 88.6% pass completion rate.

Mac Allister could be a perfect link between Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in United’s midfield, proving to be a long-term replacement for Christian Eriksen, who turns 31 this year.

It clearly won’t be easy to sign him, given the level of interest in him, but he feels like a player who is gradually heading into the peak years of his career, having been hailed as ‘very intelligent’ by Sergio Aguero.

Manchester United are keen on a deal for Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, but a fresh report has revealed that they aren’t the club in pole position to secure his services this summer.

What position is Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch is primarily a central midfielder who only put pen to paper at the Allianz Arena last summer from Ajax, but his debut season didn’t go anywhere near as well as he would have hoped having been handed just three starts in the Bundesliga for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Due to his severe lack of game time and how low down in his manager’s pecking order he is, the 21-year-old has reportedly told chiefs that he wants to leave and complete a move to the Premier League before the end of the window, and there are two potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that whilst the Bavarian club don’t want to sell, the Red Devils and Liverpool have both “called” to remain informed on the conditions of a deal should his side have a late change of heart over sanctioning his sale.

TEAMtalk claim that Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat still very much remains Erik ten Hag’s top target in the centre of the park, but should he fail to land his first choice ahead of September 1st, Netherlands’ youth international has been identified as an alternative having worked under the boss during his time at Ajax in the Eredivisie.

Are Man United signing Ryan Gravenberch?

According to 90min, Man United are “interested in striking a deal” for Gravenberch this summer, hijacking a possible Liverpool transfer, with those at Anfield in talks with Bayern that are, as it stands, at a “more advanced stage”.

Munich’s star is “keen to leave” to give himself the best chance of representing his country at the EURO 2024 tournament, and it’s stated that Tuchel’s men are “softening” their stance and have placed a price tag of around £20m on his head in a new development.

How tall is Ryan Gravenberch?

Standing at 6 foot 2, Gravenberch would add a completely different dimension to the midfield with his height and be a real physical presence in the centre, especially with him potentially being available for a fee of £20m, Man United could table an offer to test the water and see if they can hijack Liverpool’s move.

Since the start of his career, Amsterdam’s native has posted 69 goal contributions (36 goals and 33 assists) in 221 appearances whilst ranking in the 94th percentile for most shot-creating actions, highlighting that he’s much better at impacting the game at the top end of the pitch rather than defensively.

Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE…

Sponsored by Adidas, the talisman also recorded an 89.3% pass success rate last season which would make him the second-best achiever in Ten Hag’s squad, with only Victor Lindelof out of the regular starters able to top that (93.2%), displaying his excellent calmness and composure on the ball in possession.

Bayern’s “indispensable” player, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured seven senior trophies since first bursting onto the scene, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the current group who are already at Old Trafford.

Given the presence of four Full Members and the high-stakes nature of the tournament, good viewership figures can be expected, but bringing it to that audience might not yet be a cost-effective undertaking

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Mar-20181:41

All you need to know about the World Cup Qualifiers

For the first time ever, the ICC is set to broadcast matches from its World Cup qualifier event. Ten of the 34 games have been earmarked, including all of the Super Six stage and the final. Still, the ICC will be asked why it is not telecasting the rest of the matches.The interest in this qualifier is far greater than for previous editions, partly because of the participation of four Full Members – two old ones in West Indies and Zimbabwe and two new ones in Afghanistan and Ireland – in a pool of 10 teams. Only two will advance to join the eight Full Members already booked for the 2019 World Cup. With the additional presence of established Associates like Netherlands, Scotland, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and the UAE, wider interest is a given.And given that cricket is still attempting – with however much conviction – to enter the Olympics fold, it would seem to make good sense to showcase its popularity and reach by streaming the qualifiers over a digital platform.Obviously, right? Not so much. This will be the third qualifier of its kind the ICC has hosted, but the previous two – in 2009 and 2014 – were not broadcast. The ICC had actually streamed four matches, including the final, during the 2014 Qualifier in New Zealand.* But the viewership, it is understood, was not so strong. However, four years later, with the likes of Afghanistan climbing into to the upper echelons of international cricket and the smaller Associates aspiring to take bigger steps, the appetite to consume is bigger. So by actually committing to broadcasting ten matches from this event, the ICC Board (which is made up of the various member boards, remember) feels it has already taken a forward-looking step and, based on its success, the next qualifier in 2022 could have even more matches available for the world to see.Though the ICC owns the production rights for its global tournaments, the digital rights are with Star Sports, which has rights till the 2023 World Cup. The ICC could stream in partnership with Star and is also aware of the advantages of streaming matches live over a digital platform.ICCAccording to one official from a prominent member board, the way the ICC’s digital live streaming rights are split geographically is unique. In most territories the digital rights are owned by Hotstar, according to the official, but there are pockets where Star will not stream and where the ICC can do if it so wishes.The ICC is capable of streaming matches and has the resources. Even during last year’s women’s World Cup, ten matches were broadcast live on TV. The remaining 21 were streamed live and the ICC produced content good enough for it to distribute it to different countries. Yet tournaments like the women’s World Cup, the Under-19 World Cup and the World Cup qualifiers are not, ultimately, profit-making tournaments.To stream matches for a tournament like a qualifier – with limited commercial appeal for now – is not cost-effective, especially when as many as four matches per day are scheduled during the group stages, played at four venues – two in Bulawayo and two in Harare. It is not just the cost of having the technology in place, but also the cameras, crews, commentators and graphics team.Ultimately, all these add up to costs that the members do not want to contribute to because it cuts into the percentage of profits the ICC distributes to them from global events. The budget for organising a global event comes from the subscription money member boards pay. So if the qualifier does not generate any revenue, and the broadcaster does not want to stream the matches, the ICC has to bear the costs, which consequently will affect member revenues.But, keeping in mind the sizeable and growing interest in smaller countries like Afghanistan and Nepal, the ICC has hired crews who will shoot 90-second clips of the matches that are not being broadcast but will be shared globally with fans.

That they have chosen to join the squad straight off a flight from the T20I series against New Zealand reinforces their hunger to perform

Akshay Gopalakrishnan in Alur08-Nov-2017Vinay Kumar’s calm exterior didn’t betray a sense of jubilation at the return of KL Rahul and Manish Pandey, Karnataka’s two prolific and senior batsmen, for their Ranji Trophy clash against Delhi in Alur, starting Thursday. That they have chosen to join the squad straight off a flight from the T20I series against New Zealand that concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday night, reinforces their hunger to perform.Individually, this match fulfills important goals for both batsmen. For Pandey, this is another opportunity to score the big runs that brought him into national reckoning in the first place, and somewhat overcome the frustration of missing out on a regular berth in the XI after being shuffled up and down the order. For Rahul, who hasn’t featured in the limited-overs format since Sri Lanka despite being in the squad, this is an opportunity to get some batting time ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Kolkata, starting November 16.”It’s good to have Manish and KL back,” Vinay said. “As I earlier mentioned in the Shimoga game (against Hyderabad), having KL and Karun straight away put the pressure on the opposition. Delhi is a good side, and with them coming in, our batting is going to be very good.”The on-and-off presence of Rahul, Pandey, and more occasionally, Karun Nair, has left Karnataka brittle at times. But, equally, it has pushed them to tap deep into their reserves and give younger players opportunities to impress. Mayank Agarwal, who may have not been a regular had Robin Uthappa not moved states, or Rahul been around at the start of the season, has capitalised, scoring a triple-century in the previous game. Others, like Agarwal, too have stepped up, and the results so far have given the team management no headaches.”Frankly, I’d love three-four guys playing for India from our team, because there are many cricketers who are sitting out,” Vinay said. “If they play here for us, it’s definitely a boost for the team, but if they play there, they are serving for the country and others will get an opportunity to serve Karnataka. And that way we’re very flexible. I’m okay for both.”With three outright wins in as many matches, Karnataka have had a spotless start to their season and flashed glimpses of the dominant force that clinched six domestic titles between 2013-14 and 2014-15. But Delhi are trailing them closely. In fact, the only reason they are placed second is because they have one less outright win, which they claimed to have been denied in controversial circumstances by Assam.In a condensed league format, where teams are vying for outright wins every time they step on the field, marginal differences in the points table can have massive consequences. And it leaves minimal room for errors, especially on the field.”We have dropped a few catches, but it’s improving,” Vinay said. “In Shimoga, there was a bit of a problem in sighting the ball. But we were too good in the previous game against Maharashtra, and hopefully, that’ll continue. They’re all mature and can see for themselves what they were doing wrong. They might have rectified it themselves. As a captain, it’s for me to make sure that it all comes together and everyone has proper team goals.”The upside of fewer league matches, however, has been longer breaks between games. Especially after last year’s punishing travel schedules owing to the BCCI’s neutral-venue policy, the additional rest has been much-needed. But Vinay played down their impact and instead stressed on smart training, and fewer, more quality net sessions.”We are having only one practice session. Most of the times, our seamers are bowling more, so they need that extra break. We used to have two net sessions; now, we have one rigorous session and one optional session. That might help the seamers to come really fresh into the game.”

The task of replacing Declan Rice was always going to be difficult, but now in August and West Ham are no closer to finding his replacement.

James Ward-Prowse seemed to be the leading contender, however, the Irons are set to walk away from the deal after having a second bid rejected for the Southampton captain.

David Moyes wants to recruit two midfielders after the £105m sale of Rice to Arsenal, ideally with Premier League experience.

Denis Zakaria is reportedly on the shortlist, but it is hard to suggest that his seven English top-flight appearances constitute Moyes’ key condition.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Whilst the Scotsman and new technical director Tim Steidten come to understand each other’s philosophies, the search must continue, with Tyler Adams another possible option.

Is Tyler Adams leaving Leeds?

According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds United are looking to offload Adams this summer and the Hammers are interested.

Reputable journalist Ben Jacobs spoke to the outlet, saying: “I would keep one eye on West Ham United, who are obviously in the market for that kind of player."

As part of his contract, the American had a relegation release clause, ramping upon speculation that he’s set to leave Elland Road.

Although Adams only has 24 Premier League outings to his name, he’d be a far more logical choice than Zakaria.

How good is Tyler Adams?

The 36-cap international only joined Leeds last summer and was viewed as a direct replacement for Kalvin Phillips, who joined Manchester City in the same window.

Then-manager Jesse Marsch, who previously worked with Adams at RB Salzburg, predicted him to have a glittering future, saying: "I have worked with a tonne of talented players. But the ones that right away you can see they have something. It is the work they do on a daily basis, their love of improvement, their love of competitiveness, their fearlessness.

"Honestly, the first player that I ever coached who I saw that in was Tyler Adams. At 15, it was so easy to see that he had the tools, mostly from a mental and intelligence perspective, to do whatever it takes.”

The 5 foot 9 protector possesses a defensive solidarity that emphatically trumps West Ham's other main target in Zakaria. Adams outperforms the Swiss for tackles per 90 (3.72 vs 2.37), interceptions per 90 (1.46 vs 1.04), blocks per 90 (2.00 vs 0.89), and aerials won per 90 (1.04 vs 0.00).

Moreover, the former RB Leipzig sensation ranks within the top 3% in Europe’s top five Leagues among his positional peers for tackles and blocks per 90, as well as the highest 18% for interceptions per 90.

Adams has also displayed that he is more astute and forward-thinking on the ball, outranking Zakaria for progressive passes per 90 (5.68 vs 1.78), and progressive carries per 90 (0.79 vs 2.22).

Therefore, the £55k-per-week titan has still emerged from the rubble of Leeds’ disappointing relegation with a commendable degree of respect and a more reliable asset than Zakaria.

Once hailed as a “machine” by journalist Wes Rucker, Adams looks destined to continue playing Premier League football, and he could go some of the way to easing the departure of Rice.

A century stand from Yorkshire’s newly minted opening partnership began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592

Alan Gardner at The Kia Oval13-Sep-20171:36

The latest shifts of fortune encapsulated in our Specsavers Championship round-up

An autumnal chill blew through The Oval, even as the sun shone and the pitch played true. There are things still to be decided in the Championship but they will be decided in their own good time. As Somerset’s rally continued in the west country, Yorkshire fans may have begun to study the table in a little more detail – though they could take some solace from a century stand from their newly minted opening partnership as they began the long climb in pursuit of Surrey’s first-innings 592.It was May 2012 when Yorkshire last began an innings without one of Adam Lyth or Alex Lees taking guard (Joe Root and Joe Sayers, for the record). With Lees having dropped down to No. 3 in Yorkshire’s last outing and Lyth absent here due to the birth of his daughter, Tom Kohler-Cadmore was given the chance to step in alongside the experienced Australian Shaun Marsh. He duly compiled his first Championship half-century for Yorkshire since moving from Worcestershire in mid-summer.Kohler-Cadmore has already built a reputation as a buccaneering white-ball batsman but this was a different kind of test, one centring on how hard he could concentrate rather than how hard he can hit. Yorkshire must mount a substantial response if they are to avoid being dropped into the bottom two at the end of this round (Uxbridge’s poor drainage may also help in that regard) and a partnership of 162 between Kohler-Cadmore and Marsh provided something to keep out the cold.Although this was Kohler-Cadmore’s first innings as an opener in first-class cricket, it is a position he views himself as ready to fill. His only regret was in not being able to go out again and continue in the morning, after “slashing at a wide one” and being caught at point five overs from the close. “It’s something that I want to do and I’ve been lucky enough to get the opportunity this week, with Adam having his baby girl,” he said. “So it was nice to get the nod and put a good stand on with Shaun.”I think a lot of people look at your red-ball stuff because they see white ball as kind of, well, the way I play, you come off or not. Whereas red ball, you have to really work hard, you can’t go out and try and hit every ball for four – though I’d like to. It’s about building your innings and setting up the game, which for us was getting to the close with as few wickets down as possible.”With England’s national selector, James Whitaker, watching on, it was a timely display of patience and technique from Kohler-Cadmore. There are a plethora of England squads to pick these days, including the Lions and Performance Programme, and Whitaker may have made a note in his black book. He would doubtless have enjoyed the performance of another young England candidate in the morning, too, as Ben Foakes recorded his first Championship hundred of the season.Kumar Sangakkara returned to inflict more pain•Getty Images

Foakes has been tipped as the likely understudy for Jonny Bairstow in England’s Ashes party and, with a first-class average above 40, he could also provide competition for a batting spot. A princely straight drive in the morning welcomed Tim Bresnan into the attack and he went on to complete a century that was both unobtrusive – a good quality for a wicketkeeper – and fluent, slipstreaming the outgoing great, Kumar Sangakkara, as Surrey piled up the runs.Being unobtrusive is more straightforward when Sangakkara is batting at the other end, of course. This was the seventh hundred of what is to be his final first-class season, as he popped back in from a few weeks at the Caribbean Premier League (where he was the second-leading scorer) to resume filling his Championship boots.For Surrey, the summer of Sanga has been both richly rewarding and slightly underwhelming. When they beat Warwickshire by an innings in the first round of the Championship (Sangakkara contributing a modest 71), Surrey were touted as potential champions. They have not won a four-day game since.That is reflective of Surrey’s bowling, more than anything else. Their two leading wicket-takers – Tom Curran (away with England) and Mark Footitt (who left in mid-season for Notts) – are not playing here and, as this match has so far showed, The Oval can produce surfaces that swiftly reduces an attack to a defence. This will be their tenth draw if they cannot convert scoreboard pressure into the currency of 20 wickets.Sangakkara, in his final first-class season, has done everything possible to leave Surrey fans wanting more. Yorkshire will probably be pleased to see the back of him, however. In three innings against them this season, Sangakkara has made scores of 121, 180 not out and 164. Those innings have come while facing three different coloured projectiles: pink, white and red. Yorkshire do not like to hand over candy so readily.His stand with Foakes yielded 258 as Yorkshire’s bowling creaked – at least until Jack Brooks produced some welcome zip during a four-wicket spell. That and the youthful promise of Kohler-Cadmore’s 78 just about kept the visitors from seizing up.It is barely 12 months since Yorkshire were battling out for a third title in succession, a three-way tug-of-war that also featured Middlesex and Somerset. Those three teams are now locked in a battle to avoid joining Warwickshire (most likely) in relegation to Division Two. Winter is coming for someone.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are often controversial in football, given the amount of money involved in the sport these days. Clubs must ensure that they run a tight ship to avoid any potential breaches.

Of course, the biggest case we've seen regarding FFP is with Manchester City. The treble winners charged back in February, with the case currently ongoing.

Meanwhile, their neighbours, Manchester United, have had similar luck after being hit with a fine for a small breach of FFP rules in a disappointing moment for the Red Devils.

They'll certainly want to avoid any more breaches of the rule.

Why were Man United fined by FFP?

As per Simon Stone of BBC Sport, the Red Devils have been fined €300k (£257.02k) for a minor breach of FFP rules. The club is said to be disappointed, with the fine a result of changes in the way that UEFA treated losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In full, he explained: "Man Utd fined €300,000 by UEFA for 'minor' FFP breach. Club disappointed re this. Say fine due to change in way UEFA treated COVID-19 related losses. Utd 'continue to support enforcement of rules to promote FFP + sustainability across domestic + Euro football'."

United reportedly reiterated their desire to support the enforcement of the rules to promote FFP, and sustainability across European and domestic football.

With that said, it seems as though United are keen to avoid any further breaches, given their disappointment over receiving the fine.

United's statement in full, via The Athletic, said: “While disappointed by the outcome, Manchester United accepts this fine for what UEFA acknowledges to be a minor technical breach of its previous Financial Fair Play rules.

“This reflected a change in the way that UEFA adjusted for COVID-19 losses during the 2022 reporting period, which allowed us to recognise only €15m of the €281m of revenues lost due to the pandemic within the FFP calculation.

“Post-pandemic, the clubs’ revenues have recovered strongly and are forecast to reach a record level in the current financial year. The club continues to support the enforcement of rules to promote financial fair play and sustainability across domestic and European football.”

Manchester United's losses

During the pandemic, the Manchester club suffered a net loss of £92.2m in 2021, according to the Financial Times, with revenues falling by 3% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, failing to bounce back in the 21/22 season, the club announced a net loss of £115.5m, but with a revenue increase of 18%.

United aren't the only club to be hit with a fine, either, with Barcelona also receiving a €500k (£428.36k) fine for wrongly reporting profits on non-player sales.

Fortunately for the Red Devils, as explained in The Athletic, the fine is related to past issues, so it will not damage their transfer budget this summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to build from the foundation set in his debut campaign last season.

Regaining a Champions League spot, United's revenue should receive a boost from featuring among Europe's elite once more, perhaps leading to far better numbers come the end of next season.

So far this summer, they've signed just one player, with that being Mason Mount. The England international arrived from Chelsea for a reported £55m.

It remains to be seen who else Ten Hag welcomes through the Old Trafford doors this summer, however.

Wolfsburg centre-back Micky van de Ven has personally agreed to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Dutch journalist Mike Verweij.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, England international playmaker James Maddison and winger Dejan Kulusevski are all now permanent Spurs player – with the latter signing indefinitely after an 18-month loan spell.

New manager Ange Postocoglou, speaking after the captures of Vicario and Maddison this window, has been left particularly enthralled by their quality and believes they have the right character for a winning dressing room.

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers,” said Postecoglou.

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room.”

After the aforementioned trio, it is widely expected that Israel international winger Manor Solomon will become a Tottenham player, with FIFA rulings allowing him to join Spurs on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk.

The former Fulham star impressed on a temporary spell at Craven Cottage last season, which will have prompted Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy to make a move.

He certainly won’t be Tottenham’s last hurrah, though, as the north Londoners are believed to be attempting the signing of a centre-back this summer – leading to interest in both Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen and ven de Ven.

The latter defender has been heavily linked with a move to N17, and Dutch reporter Verweij has a promising update.

Personal terms are seemingly done for the Netherlands international, on a contract until 2028, with van de Ven seemingly agreeing to join Spurs.

Who is Micky van de Ven?

The 22-year-old, who starred for Wolfsburg under Niko Kovac last season, has even been revered for his “lightning fast” speed by the Bundesliga’s official website.

“Van de Ven can be a nightmare for attacking players with his immense strength, determination and precision tackling scuppering the most promising of forward moves,” Bundesliga wrote.

“With incredible pace and passing ability among his many assets, the Netherlands U21 international – who captained his country at the 2023 UEFA Europan Under-21 Championship – is on course to become a regular for the senior Oranje in the near future.”

Meanwhile, Kovac has heaped praise on van de Ven for his exceptional form, calling him “extraordinary” in a recent interview.

“Micky is a great boy [and] a really good footballer,” said Kovac.

“What he’s showing at the moment is extraordinary.”

Bayern Munich are hoping to steal away Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane after being given encouragement in talks with his family, according to Bild journalist Christian Falk.

This how now lead to an official bid of €70m (£60m)plus add-ons, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Another summer, another saga surrounding the future of Kane, coming two years after he was very heavily linked with an exit to treble-winning Premier League champions Man City.

The 29-year-old, who is out of contract in just over a year, is entering the final 12 months of his Spurs deal. While talks have been ongoing over an extension, according to reports, there is still no sign of an official announcement confirming fresh terms.

Kane, as a result, could leave the north London club for free in 2024 – a situation which has alerted many top clubs both domestically and abroad.

Manchester United, in their hunt to sign a star striker and guaranteed goal-getter for manager Erik ten Hag, have been credited with a serious interest in the forward.

Chelsea are also linked, but perhaps the real danger comes from Europe, with continental heavyweights Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris-Saint Germain targeting Kane.

The aforementioned sides are after classic number nines to provide an injection of quality in the attacking areas, and Kane more-than fits the bill for them.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, though, appears determined to keep his prized asset and could demand as much as £100 million in one up front payment for the Lilywhites superstar.

Writing in a column for CaughtOffside, German transfer journalist Falk has shared an update on Kane's future, as Bayern are still hopeful they can somehow pull off a move.

This comes after talks with the player's family, who have given encouragement to Bayern that Kane could be open to joining them.

“Bayern are hoping to still sign Harry Kane this summer," wrote Falk.

"Thomas Tuchel is not just dreaming of one striker – he would love to have two new strikers, which is a big challenge for the bosses.

“There are talks with Harry Kane’s family and I think they get the idea that he’s thinking about moving. The message from the Kane family is that he’s still thinking about going to the Bundesliga.”

Following this, Ornstein wrote in The Athletic: "Bayern Munich have submitted a formal offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

The 29-year-old has a year remaining on his current contract with the Premier League club."

How many goals has Harry Kane scored?

Kane, over a truly phenomenal career, has managed to become both Tottenham and England's all-time top goalscorers – racking up 280 for Spurs at club level and 58 for his country

The Three Lions star surpassed the legendary Jimmy Greaves to that landmark at Spurs, while Kane also usurped Wayne Rooney at the top of England's scoring charts.

If Bayern were to somehow steal the "world class" attacker away from Tottenham, it could be billed as the signing of this summer window.