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Wolves are "no longer" in the race sign highly-rated Bristol City youngster Alex Scott in the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Alex Crook.

How much is Alex Scott worth?

The 19-year-old has emerged as possible one of the most gifted young English players around at the moment, already making a significant mark for his current side. Last season, he started 40 of City's 46 Championship matches, despite still being an inexperienced figure, and he proved to be a key man.

Playing a fairly disciplined role, Scott scored once and also chipped in with four assists, not to mention averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.1 aerial duel wins per game in the league.

It is no surprise to see that there has been a huge amount of interest in the teenager's signature this summer, and while City will no doubt want to retain his services for as long as possible, they may be under no illusions that his future eventually lies in the top flight.

Scott's current City deal expires in the summer of 2025, so the Championship side will be aware that selling him now could allow them to receive the biggest possible fee, with his price potentially dropping the closer his contract comes to running down.

Wolves are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move in recent months, but now a very contrary report has emerged regarding the current situation of the player valued at €20m (£17m) by Transfermarkt.

Could Wolves sign Alex Scott?

Taking to Twitter, Crook provided a pretty blunt update on Wolves' pursuit of Scott this summer, now claiming that he is not seen as transfer target for the club anymore, dropping out of the battle in the process:

"Reliably informed Wolves are no longer in the race for Alex Scott."

This is undoubtedly a shame to hear, considering how high Scott's ceiling is as a player, having already made 91 appearances for City, despite still only being a teenager, and he is a three-time capped England Under-20 international, too.Pep Guardiola has hailed the Englishman as "unbelievable", which is huge praise from arguably one of the greatest managers of all time – City manager Nigel Pearson has also said that he is a "very unique talent and he's got a very impressive temperament" – and there is every chance that he will end up as a future England senior international.It is essential that Wolves look to bring in young homegrown talent, so if they do ultimately miss out on snapping up Scott this summer, they need to look elsewhere and look for a player of a similar ilk, rather than naturally decide to look abroad for a new midfield addition, potentially hurting their homegrown quota.The hope is that there is time for a twist in the saga, however, with Wanderers changing their stance and Scott liking the idea of heading to Molineux. The City ace would surely learn a lot from playing under a manager of Julen Lopetegui's quality and pedigree, and the Wolves boss himself would surely love to work alongside such a highly-rated young footballer.

Hibernian boss Lee Johnson has acted sharply during the transfer window, making six signings as he looks to improve on the fifth-placed finish they achieved in the Premiership last term and with Europa Conference League qualifiers fast approaching, another one or two new arrivals wouldn’t do any harm at all.

The Easter Road side have been linked with a potential loan move for Manchester City starlet Lewis Fiorini ahead of next season, although they face competition from clubs in the Championship for his signature, yet Johnson will be hoping that European football could perhaps be an ideal incentive for the midfielder.

Hibs scored 57 goals in the league last term, which was the fourth-best total in the division, and these were spread out amongst the attack and midfield, with Josh Campbell netting nine from the heart of the Hibs midfield, yet adding Fiorini into the side could give them another extra attacking edge going forward.

Johnson could even form a dream midfield duo of Fiorini and new arrival Dylan Levitt – who is a product of Manchester United's academy – which he will be hoping can propel the club into the group stages of the Europa Conference League while also impressing on the domestic front too.

How good is Lewis Fiorini?

The 5 foot 10 starlet has yet to make an appearance for the City first team, however he has shone for their youth sides, scoring 12 goals and grabbing five assists in that period too. It has been his loan spells away from Manchester that have given him the platform to showcase his talents.

Registering 25 goal contributions – 13 goals and 12 assists – in temporary spells with Blackpool, Lincoln City and NAC Breda throughout the previous three seasons has not only given him an opportunity to play senior football, but an outlet to get his creative juices flowing.

He could thrive alongside Levitt, who notched eight goal contributions for Dundee United last term alongside creating four big chances and making 1.6 tackles per game, suggesting that not only does he provide an attacking threat from the centre of the midfield, but he also likes to get stuck in and win the ball back often.

Despite United's relegation, Levitt proved to be one of the standout members of the squad, ranking third for overall Sofascore rating, second for big chances created and fifth for tackles per game, and these sorts of attributes could allow him to shine at Hibs.

These traits could give Fiorini – who has been lauded for his "quality" by former Lincoln boss, Michael Appleton – more freedom to push forward on a regular basis, and it would surely prove to be a popular pairing at the centre of the Hibs midfield as they aim to finish in third place, behind Rangers and Celtic next term.

The 21-year-old is also a fixture at U21 level for Scotland, scoring twice for his country and under Johnson, Fiorini could land regular game time next season which could help bolster his chances at not only securing a first Scotland cap, but also giving him a chance at bursting into the City first team.

A devastating spell of bowling from Mark Footitt – or perhaps that should be Mark F00000itt – powered Surrey into an overwhelmingly dominant position at The Kia Oval

George Dobell at the Kia Oval08-Apr-2017
ScorecardA devastating spell of bowling from Mark Footitt – or perhaps that should be Mark F00000itt – powered Surrey into an overwhelmingly dominant position at The Kia Oval.Footitt claimed 6 for 14 as Warwickshire were bowled out for just 91, the lowest first-class total by a visiting team to The Oval since 1999 and their fourth lowest total this century, to give Surrey a first innings lead of 363 runs.At one stage Footitt, generating sharp pace on an easy-paced wicket, claimed six wickets for three runs in 32 deliveries as Warwickshire collapsed from 30 without loss to 48 for 8. It was a passage of play that saw five Warwickshire batsmen – including Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell – dismissed for ducks and gave Footitt a five-wicket haul for the fourth Championship match in succession.No other bowler in this match – and there are several who have been in international reckoning in recent times – has come close to replicating the bounce and pace achieved by Footitt as he charged in from The Vauxhall End. In one over before tea he accounted for Trott, set-up by some back of a length deliveries and then pinned by a lovely full inswinger as he fell over to the off side, and Bell, edging a peach of a ball that bounced and left him, while Sam Hain, drawn into a poke outside off stump, fell in his next over.William Porterfield was beaten by another beauty that bounced and took his outside edge, Rikki Clarke played across another that swung in and Keith Barker was bowled by one that may well have kept a bit low.While a couple of Warwickshire batsmen – not least Bell, who received one that scuttled along the pitch two balls before he was dismissed, and Barker, who was struck by a bouncer the ball before he was bowled – may point to some variable bounce as mitigation for their dismissals, the fact that their tenth-wicket pair posted the equal highest stand of the innings underlined the failings of the top-order and they may reflect that it was their choice to bowl first. Chris Wright, coming in at No. 10, finished as their highest scorer with an unbeaten 28 as reward for some application and a straight bat.It may well be that Footitt’s England chance has passed him by. He made it into the squad during the 2015 Ashes and then went on the tour to South Africa but, after an understandably nervous performance during the warm-up games, was overlooked for the start of the series. He came tantalisingly close to selection for the final Test in Pretoria but, in the end, the England management went for Chris Woakes instead. There is every chance that was as close as Footitt will get to a Test cap.But in form like this, he really does present a compelling case for a recall. Offering left-arm pace and swing, all delivered amid an awkward flurry of arms and legs, he challenges batsmen in a variety of ways and has the ability to unlock strong line-ups in good batting conditions. Certainly he looked a far more dangerous bowler than the relatively sedate Sam Curran, another left-arm swing bowler who has been tipped for selection, and he might yet – aged 31 – add some bite and variety to the England attack.It might be that he did not help himself at the start of last season. Having come back from what was, ultimately, a bit of a disappointing tour of South Africa from a personal perspective, he went into his first season with Surrey a little short of match fitness. He subsequently suffered a side strain in the opening weeks of the season after coming up against better batsmen on flatter tracks and finding it took more out of his body than had been the case at Derbyshire. It has taken time to recover his confidence, rhythm and pace.It would be a risk to take him to Australia. He is, despite his age, relatively inexperienced and might well find the aggression and pressure of an Ashes series a huge culture shock. He would have to learn to swing the Kookaburra ball, too. But if he can bowl like this, he will enjoy the pace of Australia pitches and no batsman will fancy facing him. It would be a stretch to compare him to Mitchell Johnson – he’s not that quick or awkward – but the challenges he offers are not so different.”I still have the ambition to play for England,” he said afterwards. “If it’s too late, it’s too late. But Gareth Batty went on the last tour and we was 38, so I’ve not given up and I don’t think you’re ever too old.”Would I like to go to Australia this winter for the Ashes? I’ve never even been there, so it would be nice just to go. Perhaps I wasn’t quite there fitness-wise this time last year but I feel strong now and I have my pace back.””I’ve seen a few spells over the years,” Jim Troughton, Warwickshire’s first team coach said, “but that’s right up with the best of them. He got pace and shape and bounce. I wouldn’t say any of our batsmen threw it away but we weren’t up to it and we’re going to have to front up in a big way over the next couple of days. I still think it’s a pretty decent track.”At least Warwickshire showed a little more resolve having been asked to follow-on. But any doubts Ashley Giles, Warwickshire’s new director of sport, had about the enormity of the task facing him upon his return to Edgbaston should now have been dispelled. An ageing side lacked the pace to extract life from the surface and the batting line-up looks overly reliant upon two men in their mid-30s. There are few obvious reserves pushing for selection, either. These are early days, but it could well be the start of a painful transition for Warwickshire.They had actually enjoyed the best of the first half of the day. Bowling with excellent discipline, they slowed the Surrey rate of scoring to a crawl and then picked up wickets as the batsmen’s frustration mounted. From a platform of 314 for 2 in the 86th over, Surrey lost their last eight wickets for 140 runs in a further 55 overs – and the last five for 49- with Wright recovering from an expensive start to finish with a five-wicket haul for the first time since July 2015. It was nothing compared to what followed from Footitt, though.

The arrivals of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea for a combined £83m will go a long way to getting supporters excited for the new campaign, but the Blues have also made a couple of smart signings with a view to the long term.

Who have Chelsea signed this summer?

Nkunku was officially announced as a Chelsea player two weeks ago, with a deal having been in place with RB Leipzig for a number of months, while Jackson joined from Villarreal on Friday.

Two more recruits were added to the Blues' squad on Saturday, meanwhile, as Diego Moreira was signed from Benfica and Alex Matos came in from Championship side Norwich City.

Neither player is expected to feature regularly next season, if at all, but both players have already caught the eye at the age of just 18 and clearly have bright futures ahead of them.

Who is Alex Matos?

Matos is an attack-minded midfielder who can also play further up the field, having done so for Norwich at U18 and U21 levels last season, and has been labelled "a talent" by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

With the U16s, he averaged one goal involvement per game, scoring five and assisting six in 11 outings, before then making an impact at the next two age-grade levels up.

The talented teenager assisted a couple of goals across his 13 appearances in Premier League 2 last season, suggesting the goal involvement will not come quite as freely as his game matures.

Interestingly, there is a comparison to be made with former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who announced his retirement from playing on Saturday after an illustrious career.

Fabregas was himself an attack-minded midfielder in his early days at Barcelona and even scored 30 goals in a season for the club's youth teams, before becoming more of a rounded player who could still chip in with key involvements.

The Spaniard swapped Barcelona for Arsenal and was just 16 when he made his debut for the Gunners, showing age is just a number when you have the talent.

Matos clearly shares a similar ambition to make it at the top, having decided against signing a contract at Norwich – or any other Championship team – to instead test himself alongside a midfielder like Enzo Fernandez. Combine that with a creative and goal-scoring nous and it's easy to see why there are comparisons to the now-retired Spaniard.

Mauricio Pochettino's short-term plan for Matos is unclear, but both the youngster and Chelsea will no doubt be quietly confident he can successfully take the next step in his career at Stamford Bridge.

Martin Guptill will miss the remainder of the New Zealand season and the start of the IPL to undergo strengthening work on his hamstrings

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-2017Martin Guptill will miss the remainder of the New Zealand season and the start of the IPL to undergo strengthening work on his hamstrings in an attempt to ensure he is fully fit for the Champions Trophy in June.Guptill suffered injuries to both hamstrings in quick succession over the last few months and though he returned in extraordinary style, with his unbeaten 180 off 138 balls in the fourth ODI against South Africa, it has been decided that for his long-term prognosis he needs further rehabilitation.After his century in Hamilton, and a full fifty overs in the field, Guptill said the hamstrings felt “a little stiff” but that it was nothing unexpected after his period out of the game. He did not have any middle time before his return to the one-day side.He will travel to India for the IPL, where he was bought by Kings Punjab XI having been put back in for the second round of the auction, but won’t initially be available for selection and his recovery will be monitored by New Zealand physio Tommy Simsek, who will also be at the tournament.”At the moment Martin isn’t fit to play and the time we give him now to strengthen his hamstrings will play a big role in mitigating future risk too,” Simsek said. “We’ve put a programme in place to make sure that Martin can return to full strength and we’ll continue to monitor him closely.”Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, said: “Having Martin fully fit is critical, as we all know the positive influence he has on our side. Martin knows this is an important period to get back to 100% so that he can be fully confident when he is on the park. The Champions Trophy isn’t far away and we obviously want Martin firing on all cylinders for that tournament.”Guptill’s times back on the sidelines means his move into the middle order for Auckland, with a view to pushing for a Test recall in that position, will not happen until the next domestic season. It also means that he will not come into consideration if New Zealand need a replacement for Ross Taylor who retired hurt on the second day in Dunedin with a calf injury. Guptill was dropped from the Test side after the tour of India in October.

Fulham are now targeting Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi this summer and Mauricio Pochettino's side are open to selling him, according to reports.

Who will Fulham sign this summer?

In the past week, Whites transfer rumours have been seriously hotting up, both in terms of potential departures and signings for Marco Silva.

Fulham enjoyed a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League after being promoted from the Championship, comfortably avoiding relegation and finished mid-table.

While they couldn't quite do enough to seal European football for next season, the foundations to build are there, and it is believed the west Londoners are looking at strengthening a variety of positions.

Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez have all been linked in the past 10 days.

Meanwhile, it is believed top flight rivals are eyeing moves for star Fulham players Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson, with Leicester City also apparently looking to steal away club captain Tom Cairney.

If these rumours come to fruition, it could well be a busy summer at Craven Cottage, with news emerging of another target on their radar.

Hudson-Odoi, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, is apparently being targeted by Fulham.

That is according to The Guardian and reliable journalist Jacob Steinberg, who claims Fulham, Milan and Nottingham Forest have registered interest in the £120,000-per-week forward.

Chelsea are prepared to sell Hudson-Odoi, and could do so for just £15 million, with the winger looking likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

He's out of contract next year, and with just 12 months remaining on his current deal, Fulham could offer him the chance to remain in west London.

Hudson-Odoi has offers from the Middle East, though it is thought his preference is to remain in Europe at this stage.

What's been said about Hudson-Odoi?

Frank Lampard once tipped the 22-year-old for stardom at Chelsea, calling him an "incredible" player back in 2019 whilst claiming he could be "huge" for the Blues.

Fast forward to now, and that hasn't quite worked out, but Lampard isn't the only person to have seriously endorsed the winger.

FourFourTwo writer Mark White, taking to Twitter just last year, called Hudson-Odoi a "special" player and drew particular attention to his "unbelievable vision" and "sheer mentality".

Given he is available for just £15m, and Fulham are in need of forward depth, he could be a prudent option.

While nobody will be calling West Indies “mediocre” this time, there is no doubt that England go into this three-match ODI series as strong favourites

George Dobell in Antigua02-Mar-2017While nobody will be calling West Indies “mediocre” this time – they have surely learned their lesson – there is no doubt that England go into this three-match ODI series as strong favourites.That is only partially a reflection of England’s limited-overs resurgence. It also reflects West Indies’ decline.The grim facts are these (those of a nervous disposition should look away now): West Indies have not won a bilateral ODI series since 2014. Since 2008, when they defeated Sri Lanka, they have only enjoyed one ODI bilateral series victory against what might have been, until recently, one of the big eight (in 2012, against New Zealand). The last time they played ODI cricket, they failed to qualify for the finals of a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. They didn’t qualify for the 2016 ICC Champions Trophy and, unless they improve their ranking by the end of this September (they need to be in the top eight; they are currently ranked ninth), they will not qualify for the 2019 World Cup. They’re not in a dry spell; they’re in a famine.But England are not used to the tag of favourites. They have improved fairly steadily since their 2015 World Cup performance – or lack of performance – but only now are people starting to talk about them as genuine contenders for the Champions Trophy. For the first time in a while – including, perhaps, the trip to Bangladesh – they are expected to win an away ODI series. With eight more ODIs before the Champions Trophy (these three, two against Ireland and three against South Africa), the time to stop talking about potential and start delivering results is upon them.They are not at full strength, though. Without several seamers (David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood and now Jake Ball, whose sore knee did not react well to training on Wednesday) this series presents an opportunity for fringe players to push for inclusion in that Champions Trophy squad.England did think about calling up a left-arm option when Ball suffered his injury. Morgan rated Sam Curran as “the next in line” but concluded that Tom’s “greater experience” and “probably higher skill level” was more important than variety. Willey and Topley are both expected to be fit before the end of April.Wood won’t be far away, either. But Morgan admits England are “looking into” keeping him out of red-ball cricket until the Champions Trophy is completed. Like a good portion of this team – Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler and Morgan himself – it seems the first red-ball cricket Wood will play will actually be the pink-ball round of floodlit games in the County Championship at the end of June. England’s Ashes preparations will, effectively, start then. Until that time, the Champions Trophy is the priority and the team management have decided that playing in the IPL will be better preparation than playing in the County Championship.Jos Buttler and Sam Billings will get an early chance to cement their places in the batting line-up•Getty Images”Exposing guys to tournaments like the IPL is absolute genius,” Morgan said. “We want guys to get exposed to high-pressure situations in order to accelerate their learning, so that when it comes to big tournaments we can step up to the plate and produce our highest skill level.”In the meantime, several others have a chance to re-establish themselves. Steven Finn, who has not played an ODI since September 2015, is sure to play and Billings will be given another chance to establish himself at the top of the order, though Alex Hales could be back by the third ODI. Jonny Bairstow is putting increasing pressure on Billings but he is likely to remain on the outside for the first couple of games at least. Buttler had a quiet tour of India but, if he remains fit, he is certain to play in the Champions Trophy.”We’re spoiled for choice in the batting,” Morgan said. “But the injuries have started testing our strength in our bowling.”We’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries to the bowlers. We have a good crop of guys. We’ve always said we’ve 16 or 17 people who can play. We’re stretching the limits of that at the moment, but our batting’s certainly in the right space.”Chris Jordan was also described as “in the reckoning” for the bowling spot. “He’s been brilliant for us in T20,” Morgan said. “He can bowl at the start, in the middle and at the end. And he was talked about. But we felt that Tom was the right call.”Conditions might prove something of a leveller, too. There is a little more grass on the Antigua pitch than was anticipated, but it remains likely to be low, slow and, consequently, is unlikely to present the high-scoring opportunities England have enjoyed in England and India. As a result, there may be a need to curb England’s all-out aggression just a touch.”It certainly won’t be as free-flowing as it has been,” Morgan agreed. “But our principles as a side will remain the same. We want to put the opposition under pressure the whole time. The emphasis here will be getting two men in at the crease. That’s very important because, the pitches we’re anticipating playing on, you can lose wickets in clusters and having two men in and taking advantage of their position is going to be key. That doesn’t mean to say we still can’t score 350 or 300.”I’d like to think we have the attributes to win the Champions Trophy. If we have a fully fit squad we have the attributes: the balance of the attack with a combination of good spin bowlers and a very strong batting line-up. But now it’s a matter of getting results and producing our best.”

Liverpool continue to track Mainz's teenage striker Nelson Weiper and could look to lodge a formal bid this summer, according to recent reports…

What's the latest on Nelson Weiper to Liverpool?

That's according to German outlet BILD (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 18-year-old is a player who Liverpool have been very keen on for several years now, but his Bundesliga outfit will not sell him for anything under €20m (£17m).

There are even claims that Die Nullfünfer could value the player at around €50m (£43m) in two years' time, given that the meteoric rise he is currently riding shows no sign of abating as he continues his development.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is understandably prioritising bolstering the midfield this summer, though the opportunity to sign such a precocious talent could be too good to turn down.

Who is Nelson Weiper?

It's been a tremendous start to life on the major stage for Weiper; having scored 41 goals from 39 matches at youth level, the German "mega-talent" – as hailed by German football consultant Adam Khan – netted twice for Mainz's senior side last season.

Indeed, Weiper scored twice in the Bundesliga from just nine appearances, and given that he is still yet to make his full debut in the competition it is no wonder that clubs of Liverpool's stature are circling.

The teenage sensation has been active for Germany U21s at the U21 European Championships this summer and started once from three outings, no he yielded no goals as the nation foundered in the group phase – albeit demonstrating his striking instincts by registering 2.7 shots per game, as per Sofascore.

While the onus will indeed shy away from the centre-forward position on the red half of Merseyside this summer given the necessity for reinforcements elsewhere and the recent acquisitions of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, Weiper would be a remarkable option for the future and is undoubtedly a true footballing "prodigy" – as also proclaimed by Khan.

His prospective move could spell danger for Kaide Gordon, who has been making a comeback from injury after impressing at youth level for Liverpool and scoring one goal from four senior appearances – on his debut against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.

Gordon has been described as an "exceptional" prospect by his German manager and does have the advantage of thriving across a multitude of positions, notably the offensive flanks and central striking role, but has indeed been unfortunate to have seen his progress hindered by a cruel injury that has left him on the sidelines for over 16 months.

Regardless, the one-cap England U18 international would likely see Weiper leapfrog him in regard to the ceiling of his career should he be signed, but from a more positive slant, there is every chance that the pair could forge a deadly striking alliance to wreak havoc in the future.

The WICB’s decision came after the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations warned that the risk level in Pakistan remains “at an extremely elevated state”

Umar Farooq12-Jan-2017West Indies’ proposed tour to Pakistan for two T20Is in mid-March is off the table, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. The WICB rejected the PCB’s proposal for the tour after receiving advice on security from the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations. The WICB has also cancelled an expected security recce, which was planned for later this month. The two boards, however, continue to discuss the possibility of two T20 internationals in Florida on March 19 and 20.It is understood that earlier this week the West Indies Players Association wrote to FICA, seeking advice on the current security situation in Pakistan. FICA reportedly gave WIPA the latest security advisory from its security consultants, Eastern Star International, who provide security for various international boards including the ECB, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket and the ICC.In the report, FICA warned that the risk level in Pakistan remains “at an extremely elevated state” and that “an acceptable level of participant security and safety cannot be expected or guaranteed”. Earlier this month, FICA’s report on player safety and security strongly discouraged players from traveling to Lahore for the Pakistan Super League final, scheduled for March 5.According to the proposal, Lahore was likely to host the two matches on March 18 and 19, followed by two matches in Florida, which are still being discussed and are likely to go ahead.On Wednesday, the WICB released the schedule of Pakistan’s seven-week tour of the Caribbean, beginning from March, which comprises two T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests across five venues. As per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), four Tests had been originally slated for this series, but one Test was dropped from the itinerary to accommodate the proposed tour of Pakistan and the T20Is in the USA.West Indies are the third team – after Ireland and Sri Lanka – to reject travelling to Pakistan in the last two years.In 2015, Zimbabwe became the first the first Test-playing nation to tour Pakistan since 2009, when an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus resulted in the suspension of international cricket from Pakistan. The ICC, however, had refused to send its match officials for the series. The PCB appointed its own match officials, and hoped the Zimbabwe series would serve as a stepping stone to reviving international cricket in the country. That ambition, however, suffered a setback when a suicide attack took place near the Gaddafi Stadium during the second ODI. Zimbabwe, though, played the third and final ODI two days later and completed the tour.The PCB remains firm in its plan to host the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore on March 5, and has drawn up contingency plans to replace those overseas players unwilling to travel to the country due to security reasons. The board has decided to hold a new draft in the last week of February to bring in foreign players who will be willing to travel to Pakistan in place of those who will opt out.

In what has been a slow start to the summer transfer window at Old Trafford, Manchester United may be about have a breakthrough in their pursuit of Chelsea attacking midfielder Mason Mount.

Mount has just one year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge in which he is believed to earn £80,000 a week, per Spotrac.

In a boost to United’s pursuit, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has stated that Chelsea have lowered their demands in terms of the fee they require to let their youth academy graduate go to Old Trafford.

Man Utd transfer news – Mason Mount

United were left frustrated again after a second bid for Chelsea’s number 19 was rejected this week. The bid was believed to be worth up to £50m.

However, according to The Athletic, Chelsea look to hold out for a fee closer to £60m for the England international with £5m in add-ons.

Mount is one of three main targets for Erik ten Hag this season, which includes fellow England internationals Declan Rice and Harry Kane according to Sky Sports.

Romano believes that a middle ground can be found between the two clubs to allow Mount to move north to Manchester.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Mount?

Romano believes United will still have to up their current offer if they have a realistic chance of signing Chelsea’s wantaway star.

The transfer expert believes a bid from the Red Devils of around £60m-£65m could get the deal over the line.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano stated: "The situation with Mason Mount is a second bid was submitted for £50million. It was £45million, plus £5million in add-ons.

"Chelsea immediately rejected that bid as they want more than £60million. They started at £70million for Mason Mount, but now, from what I understand, I think the deal could be done for around £60million to £65million."

Should Man United sign Mason Mount?

Mount’s 22/23 season was hampered by injury. The 24-year-old missed a total of 13 league games in the tale end of the season, but his injury record doesn’t seem to have knocked United’s confidence in him as a target or Chelsea’s valuation of the player.

The player has been subject to serious praise from former United defender and legend, Rio Ferdinand.

Rio defined the United target as a ‘mad player’ during his stellar 2021/22 season in which he was able to stay fit.

Ferdinand said: "Young players watching the game, if you watch Mount, he’s efficient with it, and he can bang, but it’s the work ethic and the positions he takes up defensively.

"That’s why he’ll always play for England because I think you can rely on him.”

United will be hoping he’s a player they can rely on the upcoming season.