Glasgow Rangers have not submitted an official bid to bring Luis Palma to the Scottish Premiership, contrary to reports stating otherwise.

Who is Luis Palma?

Palma is a left-winger who currently plays his football with Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek Super League having joined in January 2022, and to date, he’s clocked up a total of 47 appearances.

The Honduras international still has another three years to run on his contract with Apostolos Terzis’ side, but having excelled during his first 18 months, has emerged onto the radar of Michael Beale at Ibrox.

The Light Blues reportedly tabled a £2.6m offer to sign the 23-year-old in recent days which was swiftly rejected, and despite the same outlet suggesting that the Glasgow outfit are expected to revisit the deal with an improved bid in June, it turns out that might not be the case.

Are Rangers signing Palma?

According to Football Scotland, Rangers making any kind of proposal for Palma holds "no truth", with the claims emerging from his homeland simply wide of the mark.

The report adds that the Aris' forward, however, would be "interested" in joining having previously admitted that he'll be leaving his club and targeting a summer move to the United Kingdom. Speaking to Diez, he said:

“I like the Premier League and Scotland. Personally I have changed a lot as a person for the better. As a footballer I have changed a lot, thank God for giving me the opportunity to show what (talent) is in Honduras."

Should Rangers make an approach for Palma?

Rangers have recently confirmed the signing of Chelsea right-back Dujon Sterling, and whilst the rumours are supposedly fake about an offer being made for Palma, Beale may want to think twice about his decision and consider an approach because the attacker has had a remarkable season at Aris.

The La Ceiba native, who earns £3k-per-week, clocked up 21 goal contributions (13 goals and eight assists) in 36 appearances across all competitions in 2022/23, form which saw him hailed as “brilliant” by Spanish agent Paulo Hernandez.

The Top Radical Sports LLC client, who found the back of the net more times than any other of his fellow teammates last term, would also provide the boss with wonderful versatility having operated in six different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even in midfield, so he would be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper at Ibrox.

England need just one victory from their Women’s Championship ODIs in Sri Lanka to secure their place in next year’s World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2016Anya Shrubsole has been ruled out of England’s tour of Sri Lanka with the neck injury that forced her to return early from the West Indies. Sophie Ecclestone, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner, is unavailable due to school commitments.There is a recall for batsman Fran Wilson after she recovered from a broken finger, and she will be aiming to play her first ODI since 2010, while one further player will be added to the squad following a training camp in Abu Dhabi from November 1-7. Ecclestone will join the training camp before returning to the UK.England squad for Sri Lanka tour

Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Beth Langston, Laura Marsh, Natalie Sciver, Lauren Winfield, Fran Wilson, Danielle Wyatt (plus one to be added)
Additional players for training camp Georgia Adams, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Hennessy, Hannah Jones, Emma Lamb, Bryony Smith.

Tash Farrant, the left-arm seamer, was not considered for the tour with England deciding she was better served continuing her spell with Western Australia in the Women’s National Cricket League.England require just one victory from the latter three matches of the four-game series, which are part of the Women’s Championship, to confirm their qualification for next year’s World Cup following the 3-2 series victory in West Indies.”I’m really happy with the character and fight that the team showed to win the recent series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, and we now look ahead to the fresh challenge of taking on Sri Lanka in their own conditions, with the ambition of finishing the busiest ever year for the England women’s team on a high,” Mark Robinson, the England coach, said.”The involvement of some of our younger players in the training camp in the UAE presents a fantastic opportunity for their development, and gives us an excellent chance to continue to develop the depth of the talent pool underneath the England women’s squad.”Fran Wilson gives us another option with the bat, is a strong, athletic fielder, and had an impressive domestic summer. It is disappointing that Anya Shrubsole is still side-lined through injury, but in Beth Langston we have an exciting fresh face, who is ready to be unleashed on the international game.”

Fulham’s Joao Palhinha has enjoyed an incredible debut season in English football that has prompted a wide range of suitors to plot their moves for his signature.

One of the clubs that are part of this hotly-contested race is West Ham.

What’s the latest on Joao Palhinha to West Ham?

According to TEAMtalk, alongside the Hammers, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Aston Villa are also keenly tracking the Portuguese star.

This followed a previous report by the Guardian, which detailed that the Irons view the 27-year-old as a potential replacement for Declan Rice.

Palhinha was only signed by the Cottagers last summer for a modest fee of £20m, and it has been suggested that it could take offers of up to £50m to persuade the West London hierarchy to sanction his departure.

Why would Joao Palhinha be a good signing for West Ham?

The midfielder has been an integral cog of a Fulham side that has emphatically surpassed all expectations this year, coasting to a comfortable mid-table finish, and resisting the threat of relegation throughout the season.

The unassuming transfer of Palhinha from Sporting CP has emerged as an inspired piece of business and the pivot has been in ruthlessly efficient form.

In 35 Premier League appearances, the £50k-per-week machine has averaged a mammoth 4.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, and 1.7 clearances per match.

Within the top flight, the dominant pivot has recorded the most tackles (142) and has been labelled as “sensational” by former Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell for his exploits.

His punishing physicality and ability to read the game have earned him a flattering comparison to the imperious Rodri, who has been a pillar of solidity in Manchester City's treble-chasing efforts.

Both players stand at 6 foot 3 and act as formidable protectors for their backline. In a City midfield, flanked by the boundlessly creative influences of Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri possesses a profile like that of no other and has been the unsung hero of Pep Guardiola’s relentless juggernaut.

The Spaniard has started 51 of the club’s 61 games in all competitions this season, registering 1.9 tackles and 1.2 clearances per game.

He was typically elite in City’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United, combining brilliant athleticism with fantastic ball-spraying impudence. In 90 minutes, he managed 89 touches, three key passes, eight accurate long balls, five tackles, as well as winning six ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Therefore, both players are magnificent protectors for their backlines, whose indomitable spirit and defensive contributions often criminally go under the radar.

Palhinha has recently said that he is happy at Fulham and wants to stay, but his growing reputation will inevitably lead to increased speculation, and looks like a man destined to play at the highest level.

قدم ميشيل أنطونيو، لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي وست هام يونايتد، اعتذاره لنادي ليفربول بسبب التنبؤ في بداية الموسم بعدم منافسة الريدز على الدوري الإنجليزي.

ميشيل أنطونيو في بداية الموسم، قال إن فريقه وست هام يونايتد سينهي الموسم متفوقًا على ليفربول، وسيتواجد في المراكز الأولى من الدوري الإنجليزي.

طالع أيضًا.. مدافع تشيلسي: أتمنى مشاركة محمد صلاح مع ليفربول في نهائي كأس كاراباو

وقال في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ديلي ميل” البريطانية: “قبل أي شيء، لدي ما أقوله، لقد قلت تعليقًا في بداية الموسم بأننا سننهي الموسم قبل ليفربول، لكنني أعتذر”.

وأضاف: “لقد كانت مشاعري جامحة في ذلك الوقت، وكان ليفربول يعاني أمام ولفرهامبتون قبل مواجهتنا، لكنني لم أكن موفقًا في ذلك التصريح”.

وأكمل: “أعتقد أننا نحن من سننهي الموسم في المركز السادس أو السابع، كانت هناك الكثير من الإحصائيات حول ليفربول ويورجن كلوب، ولكن مع مرور الوقت، وجدوا النسق واستمروا في تحقيق النتائج الإيجابية”.

واختتم: “من الواضع أنني كنت مخدوعًا في بداية الموسم، لذلك أنا أعتذر علنًا لجماهير ليفربول وللاعبي الفريق، أنا أسحب هذه التصريحات بكل شجاعة كما اعتدت”.

Liverpool have held discussions regarding a summer deal to sign Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to reports.

Is Bruno Guimaraes leaving Newcastle?

The Premier League giants have confirmed that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left the club, as well as loanee Arthur Melo, so Jurgen Klopp is in the market for central reinforcements and the 25-year-old has seemingly been highlighted as an ideal target.

The Brazilian international still has another three years remaining on his contract, but being Eddie Howe’s top-performing defensive player last season, has caught the eye of the boss at Anfield, alongside overseas.

The Times report that Barcelona are interested in a deal for the northeast outfit’s star, and whilst 90min have since claimed that the Magpies are confident that he will sign a new deal over the summer, that hasn’t stopped FSG from attempting to take a bite of the cherry.

Are Liverpool signing Guimaraes?

According to Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have “opened talks” to land Guimaraes as well as Barcelona, with both admirers “willing to try” to buy him. The Merseyside outfit have “made contact” to discover what it would take to get a deal over the line, and whilst the player’s representatives have personally “told” Newcastle about the interest, they understand that his “preference” is to remain at St. James’ Park.

Would Guimaraes be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool have played against Newcastle and indeed Guimaraes on several occasions so will know what he’s capable of, and having been dubbed a defensive midfield “orchestrator” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he could be a fantastic signing for FSG.

The World Cup participant, who pockets £120k-per-week, recorded a total of 78 tackles throughout the 2022/23 campaign which was more than any other of his teammates, as per FBRef, but he’s also capable of chipping in at the opposite end of the pitch.

The Rio de Janeiro native clocked up nine goal contributions (five assists and four goals) in the top-flight last term and made 110 shot-creating actions which was the second-highest number in the northeast, so is constantly looking to produce moments of quality.

Finally, Guimaraes has the versatility to operate slightly further up the pitch in central midfield and even at centre-back alongside his natural position sitting just in front of the backline, so he could be a great option for Klopp to have at his disposal should the opportunity ever present itself, however, a move could be tricky to complete.

Arsenal are still potentially in the market to launch moves for both Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo this summer as they aim to bolster their midfield.

How much is Declan Rice worth?

Although Mikel Arteta and his men may have narrowly missed out on landing the Premier League title, it seems they are not looking to dwell on what could have been.

It was a mightily impressive 2022/23 campaign for the north London side until the final stages of the season where their grip on the title faded.

However, looking ahead to the summer, it seems as if Arsenal are looking to make some significant upgrades to their starting XI to launch another title charge for next season.

Indeed, the Gunners have been strongly linked with a potential move for West Ham United's captain with reports claiming they have their opening bid at the ready for the £100m-rated midfielder.

But it also seems as if the north London club could look to add more than just Rice to their midfield this summer with the Brighton & Hove Albion man also on their radar.

And speaking on TalkSPORT, insider Alex Crook has suggested this could be the case with Arsenal potentially launching what would be a huge double swoop this summer:

"Arsenal are still there. I wouldn't rule out Arsenal signing both Declan Rice and Caicedo because we know that Granit Xhaka is going to leave Arsenal. Midfield was an area where they looked a bit light at the end of the season anyway."

What is Arsenal's transfer budget?

According to reports, Arteta is set to be handed a £150m transfer kitty ahead of the summer window which would leave Arsenal seemingly needing to sell a number of players to fund a potential double swoop.

It has also been suggested that Brighton will be looking for a deal in the region of £80m for their Ecuadorian midfielder.

But there is the belief that Arsenal are already eyeing up a number of potential departures from the Emirates Stadium over the coming months.

Indeed, the likes of Jorginho and Granit Xhaka are two midfielders who could soon be packing their bags to join a new club over the summer.

Although that may provide Arsenal some much-needed funds if they are to pursue these two Premier League midfielders, it may not quite be enough.

Neither West Ham nor Brighton will feel pressured into allowing their star talents to depart for a cheaper fee to accommodate Arsenal's transfer budget.

This will potentially leave Arsenal with a decision to make as to whether they need to spend in the region of £180m on two midfielders or whether the money could be better spent elsewhere.

A round-up of the fourth day’s play from the third round of Group B matches in Ranji Trophy 2016-17

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2016

Jharkhand overcame a stubborn 87-run partnership for the ninth wicket from Rajasthan batsmen Chetan Bist and Aniket Choudhary to complete a 42-run victory in Vadodara. Their second win in three matches hauled Jharkhand to the top of Group B, after they bowled Rajasthan out for 237.Rajasthan resumed their chase of 280 from an overnight score of 67 for 3 but soon slumped to 137 for 8, losing wickets to left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem and offspinner Sunny Gupta. Bist and Choudhary then resisted for 27.3 overs, hauling the score past 200 before the stand was broken. Eight overs after Choudhary was dismissed for 32, Jharkhand broke Bist’s defiance, with the batsman falling for a 136-ball 77 which included six fours and a six. Nadeem, who had taken two wickets on the third day, completed his five-for, taking his match haul to 12 for 168.Assam salvaged a draw, reaching 73 for 2 in their second innings after Vidarbha enforced the follow-on on the final day in Thumba. Resuming on 98 for 3 on Sunday, Assam were bowled out for 227 as left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate ran through the middle and lower order, taking 5 for 72. Assam’s batsmen got off to starts but the top score, of 44 not out, came from Swarupam Purkayastha at No. 9. Having taken a 189-run lead, Vidarbha asked Assam to bat again and the pair of Rahul Hazarika and Amit Verma saw the side through after they lost two wickets.Saurashtra required eight wickets on the last day to register an innings win against Maharashtra, but a debut century from Murtaza Trunkwala and a stubborn lower order ended the match in a draw in Vizianagaram. Left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja took four wickets, but Saurashtra could only take six of the eight wickets they needed as Maharashtra ended on 345 for 8.Resuming their second innings on 114 for 2, after following-on, they were led by Trunkwala’s 117 before he fell in the 33rd over of the day. Further contributions from the middle order, led by No. 4 Ankit Bawne’s 60, helped them hang on and salvage one point compared to Saurashtra’s three. Maharashtra were 230 for 5 when Bawne was bowled by Jadeja, with over 50 overs left in the day, but Chirag Khurana (44), Vishant More (39) and Shrikant Mundhe (24) led them to the draw even as Jadeja ended with a match haul of 9 for 105.

Manchester City are edging closer to a deal for Mateo Kovacic, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that personal terms between the club and the player have been agreed.

Who are Manchester City signing this summer?

The midfielder has once more been a frequent first-team player for Chelsea this season but he isn't starting as many games for the Blues as he once was. When the player first arrived at Stamford Bridge, he was handed 32 league outings with 21 of those coming as starts. In the 2022/23 campaign however, Kovacic was afforded only 27 league games and 17 starts, as Chelsea finished in the bottom half of the Premier League.

It didn't stop the Croatian from producing the goods though, with the central player managing one goal and two assists along the way. He also ranked highly for his passing ability, with his rate of 70.24 passes per 90 putting him within the top eight percent of players in his position amongst the 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe. He also registered 7.93 progressive passes per 90 – putting him in the top nine percent for that figure too.

Despite not featuring as much, Kovacic remains an intelligent player then that likes to sling the ball around the field and to use his ability in finding teammates to help his side get further up the field. It's led to interest in his services from Manchester City ahead of the transfer window and it appears that a deal is getting closer to completion.

That's because reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that personal terms have been agreed over a move – and that the player himself wants to leave the Blues to move the Etihad Stadium. Whilst a deal is therefore nearly done, the fee over a deal has not yet been agreed. Romano though has stated that the figure is likely to be something that is discussed and agreed once City have played in their Champions League final. With CIES Football Observatory valuing the midfielder at 30 million Euros (£25m), that fee might not be too high of an amount if that is anything to go off.

Speaking on the deal, Romano said: "Mateo Kovacić has now agreed personal terms with Manchester City after advanced talks already revealed last week. Kovacić wants the move, next step has to be between clubs as Chelsea and City will discuss fee after the UCL final. Chelsea, open to sell Kovacic."

Would Kovacic be a good signing for Man City?

The midfielder has already won Croatian League titles and a La Liga with Real Madrid but has yet to add a Premier League crown to his silverware cupboard. With the Blues sliding down the table, a move to Man City may allow him to be in with a chance of finally securing that prize.

If they do manage to add him, then Pep Guardiola's side would be getting themselves a player well capable of fitting into their midfield. Whilst the 29-year-old is an adept passer as previously stated, he is also good at driving the ball forward himself – as shown by his carries into the final third rate of 2.13 per 90 – and is well capable of popping up with a shot or goal. With a rate of 1 goal per shot on target – amongst the top three percent in his area – he is an accurate shooter when he does have a pop at goal and isn't afraid to drive forward. He ticks plenty of boxes for City then.

Chris Rushworth, county cricket’s player of the year in 2015, is among at least four English county professionals refused entry to Australia because of visa problems

David Hopps04-Nov-2016

At least three English county professionals planning to spend the off-season playing cricket in Australia have been refused entry to the country because of visa issues and deported by the immigration authorities.Ben Twohig, a Worcestershire left-arm spinner who has been a professional for only four months, has been the latest victim of an Australian visa clampdown. He follows two county professionals named by – Ben Cox, also of Worcestershire and Durham seamer Chris Rushworth – in being refused entry in separate incidents.Gloucestershire have confirmed, however, that their batsman Ian Cockbain has not been refused entry, contrary to reports, and he is playing under the appropriate visa in Melbourne.With scores of England-based cricketers arriving in Australia – both from county and club cricket – the situation could yet worsen. Worcestershire alone have more than half-a-dozen players holding such deals.The difficulties have caused the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) to contact its counterpart in Australia to discover whether there have been any changes in visa practice of which it is not aware.David Leatherdale, the chief executive of the PCA, reiterated: “Our advice is to make sure they have the right visa, as you would expect, and follow the advice of the Australian Borders Agency.”Brighton CC , in Adelaide, have said they may appeal against the refused admission for Rushworth, county cricket’s player of the year in 2015, who was not only sent home less than 24 hours after arriving at Tullamarine Airport but who was also banned from entering Australia for three years. David Alleyne, a former professional at Middlesex and Nottinghamshire, has taken over an emergency captaincy and coaching role at 40.Cox, Worcestershire’s wicketkeeper, who made last-minute plans to return to Australia, also suffered a three-year ban.County professionals are advised by Australia’s immigration department to apply for the Temporary Work (Long Stay Activity visa) which allows multiple entry for a period of two years, sometimes extended to a maximum of four years. A Sports Visa has now been withdrawn and is closed to new applicants.Such a visa can be a long and arduous process which does not fit neatly with deals often struck at the last minute. It also needs a business sponsorship, which is easily obtained by a gun player of obvious repute heading for the Big Bash (where visa regulations, in any case, can be more accommodating), but less so by a young professional trying to make his name at a low-resourced, amateur club where financial assistance is often unreliable. And it potentially sets a limit on the number of times a young cricketer can visit the country.Over the years, it has become common practice for many players to enter Australia on simple tourist visas, and for what cricket they play to be accepted as part of a holiday, but attitudes to a long-standing practice are becoming more unforgiving as a general climate of stronger border checks takes hold.Immigration officers are alerted by “tourists” carrying substantial amounts of cricket equipment into the country which has also led to cannier cricketers sorting their gear on arrival in Australia.Australia’s more stringent checks are also apparent in other countries, the UK a prime example. Lengthy visa delays have caused chaos in amateur and professional sport over recent years. The situation is exacerbated by the immigration authorities seeming inability to understand the world of amateur or semi-professional cricket. Asian cricketers face a further inbuilt suspicion that they may not return home after the expiry of their visa.Back in 2012, Mitchell Starc, the Australia left-arm quick, heading for a spell at Yorkshire, was deported following a visa error that initially led to him being detained at Heathrow for more than four hours. He flew back to Australia to fill in a couple of forms correctly and then flew all the way back again. Yorkshire’s chairman at the time, Colin Graves, blamed his agent.The long-established cultural exchange between cricketers, amateur and professional, has never looked rockier as countries enter an era of stiffer border controls. Cricket’s governing bodies need to lobby their respective governments to find solutions.

Tottenham Hotspur may be set for a hitch in their efforts to try and sign Manor Solomon as Fulham are keen to keep him at Craven Cottage, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manor Solomon?

As per The Athletic, Tottenham are keen on signing Solomon this summer and he would be available for nothing due to the fact that he suspended his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk last year due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The report states that FIFA have ruled that he is free to move for nothing in the off-season and clubs around Europe have been put on alert by this development as he intends to suspend his deal by a further year.

Of course, Solomon is on loan at Fulham and enjoyed a productive campaign at Craven Cottage, netting five times in 24 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

According to The Sun, Fulham also want to sign the Israel international on a permanent basis and will endeavour to secure his signature despite protestations from Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin, who stated in a recent interview: "The over-reaching measures applied by Fifa led to massive loss of player transfer income and a depletion of essential Club revenues. We believe the extension of Annex 7 continues to place clubs like FC Shakhtar in Ukraine in a seriously disadvantaged position with zero protection and threatens our very existence."

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Fulham would be very keen to sign the £20k-a-week earner this summer, potentially derailing Spurs' plans to swoop for his services.

Jones told FFC: "The interest in Manor Solomon is interesting, I know that Fulham anticipate him staying and have been hopeful that they would be able to extend his time at Craven Cottage. It's obviously quite complicated because of the manner of this transfer and how he ended up signing for Fulham in the first place."

Would Tottenham Hotspur suffer a blow by missing out on Manor Solomon?

Given his availability on a free transfer and his promising start to life in English football, it would be a miss for Tottenham if they were to be stumped in their efforts to land Solomon by Fulham.

As per WhoScored, the 23-year-old has managed to complete around one dribble per match in the Premier League this term, illustrating that the Israeli does have the propensity to beat his marker with regularity.

FBRef also show that Solomon is an extremely hardworking player to have in the ranks and he has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of tackling, successfully winning 3.15 challenges per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

Solomon has a lot to give and can still improve in the coming years and it would be a shame for Spurs if they were to miss out on signing a talented star in the ilk of the Fulham ace, especially when their squad is devoid of offensive depth.