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Fulham are making concrete moves to sign Fiorentina centre-back Igor Julio this summer, amid his uncertain future in Italy, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

The Cottagers are expected to strengthen in a number of areas this summer, particularly in midfield, having previously made contact with Hakim Ziych over a potential move, while Mateus Uribe and Erick Gutierrez have also emerged as targets.

The need to bring in a new midfielder may be exacerbated by the fact Joao Palhinha could be on the move in the upcoming window, amid interest from a number of Premier League sides, including Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

There is also some evidence that Marco Silva would be keen on strengthening in the centre-back area, given the previous links to AS Roma's Chris Smalling, and they have now set their sights on a new target in that area of the pitch.

According to a report from Firenze Viola (via Sport Witness), Fulham are making concrete moves to sign Igor this summer, with the defender facing an uncertain future at Fiorentina, having been benched for his side's recent 2-1 loss against FC Basel.

The Cottagers are not the only Premier League side interested in the 25-year-old, however, as Leicester City are also eyeing a move, while there are at least two Ligue 1 sides and one club from Spain in the picture.

Fiorentina have the option to extend the centre-back's contract by an additional year, but he could snub the Serie A side's renewal offer and seek a move abroad this summer.

Should Fulham sign Igor Julio?

Described as "crazy" by members of the media, the Brazilian has been a regular starter for Fiorentina this season, making 37 appearances in all competitions, showcasing his defensive capabilities in the process.

Over the past year, the left-footed defender has ranked highly on a couple of key defensive metrics, most notably blocks completed per 90, placing in the 90th percentile compared to his positional peers, having averaged 1.69.

That said, the former Red Bull Salzburg man has not been among Fiorentina's best performers this season, averaging just a 6.46 match rating from WhoScored, which ranks him 20th in the squad.

Given that Igor also has no experience in the Premier League, Fulham can attract better defenders in the summer transfer window, particularly considering how well they have done since their promotion from the Championship, on course for a top-half finish.

Ben Cox has signed a new four-year contract committing him to Worcestershire until the end of the 2020 season

George Dobell03-Jul-2016Ben Cox has signed a new four-year contract committing him to Worcestershire until the end of the 2020 season.Cox, aged just 24 but already a veteran of seven seasons in the professional game, has developed into an outstanding wicketkeeper over the last few years. He was also the county’s second highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship in the 2015 season and is averaging above 40 in this year’s competition.Cox, like most of the Worcestershire side, has developed through the club’s system and joins nine of his first team colleagues in signing a long-term deal that demonstrates obvious commitment from both parties. His current contract was due to expire at the end of this season and he was beginning to attract admiring glances from other counties.”We are delighted Ben has signed the new contract,” Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s director of cricket, said. “He is such a club man and team man. He is a Worcestershire man through and through. To have somebody of his loyalty towards the club, and passion for the club, to reward him with a long contract is exactly what we are all about.”He is a terrific cricketer now, as consistent a wicket-keeper in county cricket that I have seen and to do that at a young age is incredibly good. But also he has match-winning experience and ability with the bat in the different formats.

”It is very tricky going into bat towards the end of an innings in one-day cricket and he does it superbly and often is there at the finish and winning games of cricket.”The only complication for Worcestershire comes in attempting to fulfil the ambitions of Cox and Joe Clarke. Clarke, a 20-year-old batsman of rare potential, also has wicketkeeping aspirations – he kept for England Under-19 and also, at times, for Worcestershire in pre-season – and may feel his opportunities are now blocked by the confirmed presence of Cox.While Clarke, currently not in Cox’s class as a keeper, is also secured on a long-term deal until the end of 2018, if he does decide to pursue opportunities elsewhere, he would have no shortage of takers. He was with the England squad during the final ODI against Sri Lanka as a reserve fielder.”I’m just delighted to sign the length of contract I have at Worcestershire,” Cox said. “I want to play my cricket here and for the club to back that up and show they have faith in me for the next four years is tremendous.”I’m a Worcester boy through and through. I’ve been here since I was nine years old and never thought of leaving. To sign for another four years is brilliant.”I see this squad of players winning silverware at some point whether it be this year, the next couple of years or three or four years down the line. We’ve got the players to win trophies.”

The USA Cricket Association has filed a lawsuit in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, Florida attempting to stop six Caribbean Premier League matches from being played in Lauderhill

Peter Della Penna20-Jul-2016The USA Cricket Association has filed a lawsuit in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, Florida attempting to stop six Caribbean Premier League matches from being played in Lauderhill. The matches were to be played at the Central Broward Regional Park from July 28 to 31 and the USACA argued that the CPL did not go through the proper sanctioning process to be able to stage games in the USA.ESPNcricinfo had access to the court filings that were made on the afternoon of July 18, showing the defendents as Broward County, Broward County parks & recreation, CBRP parks and recreation manager Duncan Finch and Lauderhill Mayor Richard J Kaplan. Along with USACA, the plaintiffs in the filings are listed as former USACA executive secretary Kenwyn Williams and current USACA vice-president Owen Grey. The court documents showed that Williams directly filed them with the 17th Circuit Court, listing himself as “Managing Director” of USACA. In a sworn affidavit included in the court filings, Williams claimed to have been managing director of USACA since March 2015 and that he reports directly to Grey.However, the USACA has no formal paid or board position by that title and Williams is not listed as a current staff or board member on their website. Lawyers representing USACA had sent Williams a cease and desist notice last month after he threatened to sue Broward County over the CPL staging, claiming he did not represent the interest of USACA, which was suspended in 2015.However, Grey and Williams have been longtime allies since Williams’ time on the USACA board in 2012. Grey offered his support to Williams last month after the cease and desist letter was sent to Williams and Grey’s status as a co-plaintiff in the case is an indication of conflict within the board. Grey has signed a sworn affidavit in support of the suit dated July 13 and included in the court documents.In the filings, Williams stated that USACA is seeking an emergency injunction to stop the matches, claiming that the board is the sanctioning authority for cricket in the USA and that the CPL had bypassed them to reach an agreement with Broward County. Williams also argued that Broward County’s actions to partner with the CPL “tortuously interfere with USA Cricket’s prospective economic relationship, causing irreparable injury to petitioners’ revenue potential and reputation” and that the revenue is “desperately needed to promote and develop amateur cricket among its thousands of members.”However, USACA’s sanctioning authority was stripped by the ICC in June 2015 under the terms of USACA’s administrative suspension.As part of support documents in the court filings, Williams submitted a letter dated June 6, 2012, written by then ICC Americas regional development manager Martin Vieira, stating that the ICC “recognize USACA as the sole governing body for the sport in the United States of America and can confirm that they are in good standing and in compliance with all rules and regulations of the ICC.” Vieira has since retired and been replaced by Ben Kavenagh and the letter predates USACA’s suspension by three years. While announcing the suspension, ICC chief executive Dave Richardson had labelled the USACA “unprofessional and not trustworthy”.Also included in the documents was a letter written to CPL chief executive Damien O’Donohoe, attributed to ICC operations manager Clive Hitchcock, dated November 16, 2015, which claimed that “the CPL, as the event organizer, must apply for sanctioning/approval of the matches/event to be played in the USA” because USACA is the home governing body. However, the letter also acknowledged USACA’s suspension and stated that “the final decision on whether to approve/sanction the matches will be taken by the ICC within two months of having received the application.”ICC Americas and CPL officials declined to comment on the legal filings made by Williams, when contacted by ESPNcricinfo. Mayor Kaplan did respond, saying that he believed the matches would go ahead as planned and that Williams’ attempt to block the matches would be struck down.”I am very confident that the injunction will fail and the games will proceed since USACA is not the sanctioning body for international games in the US,” Kaplan, who is also a practising lawyer, told ESPNcricinfo. “That authority is exclusively controlled by the ICC which authorised the games. This lawsuit demonstrates the problems that we have had trying to schedule international games within the US and I thank the ICC in taking the action that they have.”

Arsenal are reportedly already looking at the summer transfer window ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Gunners suffered a hammer blow to their title hopes in April, after leading the race for the majority of the season in a revolutionary year for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Despite the title charge coming to a painful end with the summit in sight, there are plenty of positives for the north Londoners to take from this term, with a top-two finish and Champions League football confirmed.

Involvement in the pinnacle competition of European football requires maximum squad depth while contending in the Premier League alongside, as Arsenal have found with their Europa League schedule proving damaging.

William Saliba’s injury was a turning point in the Gunners’ title charge, with the centre-back suffering a season-ending back injury against Sporting CP in the competition.

Depth in all areas is critical for the reds to fulfil this transfer window, with an introduction to the attack linked in new rumours surrounding the Emirates.

What’s the latest on Xavi Simons to Arsenal?

As reported by The Mirror this week, Arteta will be “offered” the chance to sign PSV starboy Xavi Simons this summer.

The 20-year-old joined the Eredivisie side on a free transfer from PSG last summer and has become a name on the lips of a number of clubs around Europe, due to his impressive performances.

Rumours linking him to north London come from his recent switch to Doubled agency, which have extensive links to the club, as per the report.

What could Xavi Simons bring to Arsenal?

The youngster shot to fame as he developed in Barcelona’s infamous La Masia set-up, before making the move to France and breaking into PSG’s first team at the tender age of 17.

Described as having “one of the best” football IQs" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the youngster has an aura of stardom around him.

His performances this season predominantly in central-attacking midfield have attracted the interest of many admirers, having scored 16 goals and registered eight assists in 32 Eredivisie appearances.

The potential signing of the Dutchman could gift Arsenal an almost clone of Martin Odegaard, a prospect that is difficult to comprehend considering the Norwegian's importance in the squad.

The Gunners lack squad depth, one position being the attacking area of central midfield, where Simons could rival their captain to enhance squad numbers, quality and individual performance.

Versatility is a key strength of the 20-year-old, who can be utilised on both wings, unleashed as a goalscorer, and carrying wide threat, as highlighted through his averaged 4.80 progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

To put such numbers in perspective, Odegaard averages 2.51 per 90 in this area, showing the ability and threat the youngster holds and could offer to Arsenal’s Champions League battling squad next season.

With his name in the spotlight, the Amsterdam-born attacker will be one to watch this summer and could be a worthy investment for Arteta’s plans.

Australia have conceded the No. 1 Test ranking to India after losing all three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-20161:29

‘No.1 ranking just a short term incentive’ – Kohli

Australia have conceded the No. 1 Test ranking to India after losing all three Tests on their tour of Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli’s team – currently ahead of Pakistan by one point – must win the fourth Test against West Indies, beginning on August 18 in Trinidad, to retain their top ranking.Australia slipped to No. 3 after the 163-run defeat at the SSC; they had begun the series with 118 points but finished the contest just ahead of England, who also have 108 points at No. 4, on the ICC’s rankings.As a result of Australia being whitewashed 3-0, Pakistan have risen to No. 2, having drawn their four-Test tour of England 2-2. Should India fail to beat West Indies in Trinidad, Pakistan will become the No. 1 ranked Test side for the first time.Sri Lanka’s performance led to them over-taking South Africa to move into sixth place with 95 points. They had begun the home series against Australia at No. 7 with 85 points.ICC Test rankings 1 India (112 points), 2 Pakistan (111), 3 Australia (108), 4 England (108), 5 New Zealand (99), 6 Sri Lanka (95), 7 South Africa (92), 8 West Indies (65), 9 Bangladesh (57), 10 Zimbabwe (8)

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Anastasios Douvikas to Rangers?

According to TEAMtalk, Gers boss Michael Beale could launch a swoop to sign Greek international centre-forward Anastasios Douvikas from FC Utrecht ahead of next season.

The report claims that the Light Blues are eyeing up the Eredivisie striker and that they could be competing with Scottish rivals Celtic to land his signature, with the Hoops having also been touted with an interest in the ace.

Earlier this month, Utrecht technical director Jordy Zuidam claimed that the Dutch club are looking for a fee in the region of €12m (£10m) before they will cash in on their top players, with the marksman being named as one of their biggest assets.

How has Anastasios Douvikas performed this season?

The 23-year-old centre-forward has been in prolific form in the Eredivisie in 2022/23 and the no.9 could come in as a big upgrade on current Gers striker Kemar Roofe.

Beale, in March, confirmed that the Jamaican attacker will miss the rest of the campaign through injury and this means that the dud will end the season with just three appearances in the Scottish Premiership.

He has only played 24 games in the division since the start of last term and this shows that the ex-Leeds poacher is rarely available for selection, with injuries plaguing the dynamo.

Roofe racked up 11 goals – scoring every 2.18 outings – and one assist in that time and that is a decent return in front of goal but Douvikas could come in and offer far more reliability in his availability whilst also being able to provide a greater threat in the final third.

The Greek international, who is also seven years younger than the Gers man, has played 65 Eredivisie games since the start of last season and has plundered 18 goals and four assists in 31 matches in the current campaign – a strike every 1.72 clashes.

This shows that the 23-year-old is more durable, based on his vastly superior appearance record, and has the potential to score goals more frequently than the Light Blues liability.

Douvikas, who was hailed as "sharp" by journalist Josh Bunting, has created seven 'big chances' for his teammates in 22/23 and Roofe has provided his fellow Rangers players with four in the last three years combined, which suggests that the Utrecht star would offer far more creativity from the number nine position by providing others with opportunities to score on a regular basis.

Therefore, Beale could land a big upgrade on the ex-Anderlecht striker by beating Celtic to the signing of the Eredivisie titan in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal are expected to have a busy summer, after the Gunners narrowly missed out on securing their first Premier League title since 2004.

With one game remaining, it has overall been a successful campaign for Mikel Arteta’s side, who fell agonisingly short in the final months that saw Manchester City claim the title once more.

Lack of squad depth was a huge factor to Arsenal’s downfall, with the injury to William Saliba proving costly at a time when stability was essential.

Now, with the summer window approaching, it’s expected that the north Londoners will look to recruit in defence for depth to go again with big aspirations next season.

One name has been linked with a potential move to the Emirates this week, as a Bundesliga centre-back has emerged as a target.

What’s the latest on Edmond Tapsoba to Arsenal?

As reported by Fabrizio Romano earlier this week, Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba has been monitored by scouts representing Arsenal.

The Gunners aren’t the only club in north London eyeing the 24-year-old, as Tottenham have also scouted the defender with the race remaining “absolutely open”, as per Romano.

It was reported by BILD in 2021 that Leverkusen had demanded a fee in the region of €70m (£61m).

What could Edmond Tapsoba bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as a “monster” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Tapsoba has shone for Leverkusen this season, cementing himself as a firm starter for the Bundesliga side.

The young defender has marshalled at the back, but has been praised for attributes beyond the art of defending in relation to his comfort on the ball and “very good” footballing IQ.

Described as being an “elite ball-player” by members of the media, the 24-year-old would be a perfect fit in Arteta’s plans going forward, with the Gunners in dire need for strength in quality at the back.

Despite the position of Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes looking untouchable now, it would undoubtedly benefit the squad to provide some competition for places, with no players in Arsenal’s ranks able to consistently reach the heights of the two first choices.

When you review the success of Pep Guardiola’s defence, a lot of performance has been raised in having a group of equally talented defenders rivalling each other for a shot at consistent game time.

Arteta could replicate the strict competition at the Etihad through smart recruitment, and with Tapsoba potentially in a position to be lured away from Leverkusen this summer, Arsenal would be missing a trick in not snatching him up.

The Burkina Faso international suits the Spaniard’s favoured attributes as a ball-playing centre-back, as highlighted by FBref through his numbers, averaging 5.82 progressive passes per 90, ranking him in the top 4% of centre-backs in Europe in this skill.

The Bundesliga talent actually tops Gabriel in his progressive play, and also in some defensive areas, averaging 1.71 tackles and 1.15 interceptions per 90 to the Brazilian’s average 1.29 tackles and 0.87 interceptions – as per FBref.

Inducing competition to a stable area of a squad not only enhances performance but increases depth and expands ideas on a game-to-game basis, as managers can plot their next moves dependent on the opponent, reducing predictability.

As a player expected to be in demand this summer, Arsenal should act fast in their pursuit of Tapsoba when the window opens, who could undoubtedly be a strong addition to their squad.

Durham could face the prospect of a points deduction, and possible relegation, as a consequence of receiving financial support from the ECB

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2016Durham could face the prospect of a points deduction, and possible relegation, as a consequence of receiving financial support from the ECB during the 2016 season that finished last week.In spite of a troubled summer off the field, Durham retained their Division One status thanks to a strong finish to the season, including back-to-back victories in their final two games over Surrey and Hampshire, who were relegated alongside Nottinghamshire.However, to retain their viability, the club had to call upon assistance from the ECB – including an accelerated annual fee payment, as well as the rescheduling of their £923,000 staging fee for the third Test against Sri Lanka in May – to help service debts to the local council, believed to be in the region of £5-6 million.Now, according to a report in The Times, the ECB is considering whether to impose a penalty on Durham as punishment. A points deduction would appear to be the only realistic sanction available to the board, given that a financial penalty would merely exacerbate the club’s issues.However, the situation for the ECB is made more complicated by the circumstances of this year’s County Championship, in which two teams were relegated but only one, Essex, was promoted, to pave the way for next year’s eight-team first division.Whether it should be Hampshire who earn the right to remain in the top flight, having finished 31 points clear of the bottom club, Nottinghamshire, or whether the division two runners-up, Kent, should be promoted alongside Essex (as they would have been in every other season since the two-division structure was introduced in 2000) is a point that is sure to be robustly debated in the event of any sanction.In addition, Durham may argue, with some justification, that any penalty would be unfair, given that they are being penalised, in effect, for carrying out the wishes of the governing body. Their granting of first-class status, in 1992, included the stipulation that the county should develop an international-standard venue. However, the risk of hosting international matches has since shifted from the ECB to the counties themselves, and Durham have found it hard to compete for the biggest games against the more powerful and better established venues to the south.There is no suggestion of financial impropriety at Durham, and other Test-match grounds have accrued greater debts in the course of modernising their venues. However, the club’s remote location makes it harder to diversify and generate the sort of revenues that keep their rivals solvent.The club, which won the County Championship three times in six seasons between 2008 and 2013, has proven itself to be one of the most successful counties in terms of producing England players, with Ben Stokes and Mark Wood among the most recent examples. However, in a sign of potential struggles to come, they have lost two of their most influential batsmen of recent seasons, with Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman choosing to move to Surrey.

Newcastle United owners Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) would be keen on bringing Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo to Tyneside this summer despite a potential move being 'against the principles', according to journalist Alex Crook.

What's the latest transfer news involving Cristiano Ronaldo?

Earlier this year, shortly after Ronaldo completed his historic move to Al Nassr, Marca via The Mirror reported that the Portugal international is said to have a clause in his contract at the Saudi club that would allow him to make a temporary loan move to Newcastle United if they qualified for the Champions League in 2022/23.

Of course, that feat has been achieved, as Eddie Howe's men secured a return to the competition for the first time in 20 years, finishing fourth in the Premier League having amassed 71 points from 38 fixtures, as per BBC Sport.

90min revealed earlier this month that PIF want to make a 'marquee' addition at St James' Park in the summer and the prospect of bringing Ronaldo to the North East 'has also been discussed', though Toon Army boss Howe is not keen on pursuing the £3.4 million-a-week ace.

Howe has spoken about links to Ronaldo and also Paris Saint-Germain attacker Neymar, as per, stating in an interview cited by The Independent: “We could not be able to come close to affording those players as they are the best players in the world. We are never going to be in a position currently to afford those transfer fees and wages, so we need to go underneath and find them young and develop them into the players they can be.”

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Crook has stated that PIF would be open to signing Ronaldo this summer; nevertheless, expects Howe to be allowed to conduct transfer business in his own way.

Crook said: “I think PIF are quite keen to bring in big names. They would like to bring in Ronaldo but that goes completely against the principles.

“I think Eddie Howe has enough credit in the bank to be allowed to do it his own way probably with the likes of Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Scott McTominay, I think, is a big target as well. He’s a James Ward-Prowse type manager rather than a Neymar.”

How has Cristiano Ronaldo fared since moving to Al Nassr?

Funchal-born football legend Ronaldo has been a typically potent goal threat since moving to Al Nassr following his controversial exit from Manchester United in 2022.

Since joining the Saudi outfit, the 38-year-old has featured 19 times in all competitions, racking up an impressive 14 goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the veteran forward was left disappointed as Al-Nassr's title bid to win the Saudi Pro League was ended last Saturday, as a 1-1 draw against Ettifaq enabled Al-Ittihad to win the league with a game to spare following a 3-0 victory over Al Feiha in a game he was substituted off in, as per The Sun.

As per talkSPORT, Ronaldo has went two seasons without winning a major trophy, which is something he will be desperate to rectify next term. However, it looks unlikely that he will have the chance to do that at Newcastle United in current circumstances, despite rumours swirling over a dream Premier League return.

The Barmy Army, a group of travelling England fans, has said it will not be following the team on tour in Bangladesh owing to prevailing security concerns

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2016The Barmy Army, a group of travelling England fans, has said it will not be following the team on tour in Bangladesh owing to prevailing security concerns. A statement on the group’s website said that while the BCB had taken an interest in improving security for fans, the “measures do not yet go far enough to persuade us to go against FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) advice.”The development came two days after England ODI captain Eoin Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales said they would not be travelling to Bangladesh either, despite the ECB saying the tour would go ahead, following an assessment of the security measures in place.”Behind the scenes we have been liaising with the ECB and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and have now received advice from the latter,” the Barmy Army said. “We have been supplied with a list of hotels in Dhaka and Chittagong that will receive protection from the Bangladesh Police and been told that England supporters will be afforded their own segregated area within the stadium.”However on the issue of escorts to and from stadiums (where due to local traffic conditions supporters will be most vulnerable to attack), we have been supplied with the contact details of a private security company, the implication being that any extra security will have be at supporter’s own expense. Whilst we are grateful that the BCB are taking an interest, we feel these measures do not yet go far enough to persuade us to go against FCO advice.”It is a matter of great regret that we feel unable to endorse travel to Bangladesh. Those of us lucky enough to have visited this country on previous tours have lasting and fond memories of a warm welcome, friendly locals and wonderful food. Perhaps the greatest pleasure being able to mix freely with the general population, particularly in and around the stadiums. We were also able to wander and explore the teeming cities of Dhaka and Chittagong without fear. FCO advice specifically warns against such activities.”The concerns over security for England’s tour of Bangladesh began after Dhaka, the nation’s capital, suffered a terrorist attack in July that left many dead. Australia had also cancelled their tour to the country at the end of last year and had pulled out of the Under-19 World Cup this year due to security concerns.