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A Copa do Brasil é encarada como uma obsessão pelo Botafogo. A equipe de Bruno Lazaroni enfrenta o Cuiabá, pelo jogo de ida das oitavas de final, na próxima terça-feira. Pedro Raul, em entrevista coletiva realizada nesta sexta-feira, no Estádio Nilton Santos, afirmou que encara a competição como uma final.

– É a busca por um título inédito, a competição com o maior retorno financeiro. Poder estar representando o Botafogo em uma competição dessas é bom. É um grupo jovem, vivenciar algo desse pelo Botafogo é muito bom. Temos totais condições de chegar. É jogo após a jogo. É encarar como um final. Terça-feira será a primeira – afirmou.

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No mês passado, o atacante foi alvo de críticas por parte da torcida a partir de áudios vazados na internet de supostas histórias dele fora de campo. O atacante afirmou que isto não atrapalhou seu foco nas quatro linhas.

– A motivação que eu tenho é que isso aqui é meu sonho, é o que eu sempre quis. É o sonho da minha família, meus amigos. Estou sempre motivado. Sobre o que saiu na internet, foi uma pessoa descompensada que tentou me atingir. Não sou esse fantoche que tentaram passar – ressaltou.

Com Bruno Lazaroni, Pedro Raul tem atuado mais longe da grande área. Com um novo esquema, o camisa 9 aparece recuado para ajudar na recomposição e ajudar nos contra-ataques com maior frequência. Para ele, contudo, isto não é problema.

– Eu sempre gostei de jogar assim. Apesar da minha altura, não sou um atacante de ficar parado. Sinto que posso ajudar na criação. O Bruno me passa bastante confiança. Hoje em dia os atacante têm que ser assim, eu me adapto. É um trabalho novo, ele está usando bastante coisa do Paulo, mas importa as coisas dele. A gente está ajudando dele, busca sempre melhorar. É uma equipe, estamos unidos na derrota, vitória ou empate – analisou.

MAIS ASPAS DE PEDRO RAUL:

Jogo contra o Goiás
– Foi um jogo que a gente teve superioridade técnica e física. Faltou um pouco de tranquilidade. É uma questão que o Bruno Lazaroni está passando para nós nos treinamentos. Ter mais frieza, tranquilidade. A gente foi superior nos números, mas o principal não tivemos. É corrigir, confiança a mil sempre.

Parceria com Babi
– Tendo mais força ofensiva sempre vai ser bom para o atacante. Mesmo sendo parecidos, temos diferenças. Sempre que um jogar, outro jogar ou os dois vamos tentar fazer o bem pelo clube. Eu gosto de jogar com ele, chama a atenção da defesa e abre mais espaço para os outros.

Evolução
– Sou um cara que me cobro muito. Minha maior crítica é comigo mesmo. Quero sempre melhorar o que não tenho de melhor. É uma constante busca da melhoria. A perfeição não existe mas a gente tem que buscar evoluir.

Parte física
– A gente tem números até expressivos nesse quesitos. Nosso GPS está sempre lá em cima. As vezes é o cansaço do jogo mesmo, tem semana que a gente joga três vezes. É uma visão que a torcida tem, é normal. Mas eu acredito que a questão física não seja um problema. A entrega de cada jogador é sempre muito grande.

Túlio Lustosa e Lúcio Flávio
– É sempre bom a chegada de ex-jogadores. Já viveram o nosso dia a dia, foram grandes profissionais, agregaram em questões técnicas e táticas. Ter essas referências fora de campo é muito importante.

Nic Maddinson combined with Joe Denly for a rapid 108-run stand to ensure Sydney Sixers chased down 190 and secured their fourth successive win

The Report by Adam Collins23-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSydney Sixers finished their BBL campaign in fourth position after cleaning up their fourth successful run chase on the trot. With the fixtures yet to be played, there is no mathematical way the side will remain in contention for the playoffs, but they averted the train wreck they were on track for after losing their first six games.Hunting 190 for victory in a highly entertaining match, it was never in doubt for the hosts after Nic Maddinson got motoring in a punishing 108-run stand with Joe Denly, punctuated by the former collecting six boundaries from one James Faulkner over.Maddinson’s match-winning hand of 61 off 26 balls included two sixes that travelled more than 100 metres. English import Denly did the rest with an unbeaten 72, the Sixers home with 15 balls and five wickets to spare.Earlier, it looked like another player outside Australia’s 50-over team, Glenn Maxwell, would be winning headlines on the night when clobbering 84 off 47 balls. It wasn’t enough to earn the Stars a victory, but it was a timely reminder to the national coach Darren Lehmann in the commentary box that there are very few better in the white-ball world.Maxwell on a mission
Elevated to first drop in Kevin Pietersen’s absence, Maxwell issued a sign of what was to come by flicking Sean Abbott from off stump over square leg for six. Normal people can’t do that. Next ball, he popped him over cow corner. A pair of neat ramps off Carlos Brathwaite reinforced that the right-hander is more than muscle. Then, seemingly offended by part-timer Joe Denly’s introduction, he dismissed him over midwicket. The Victorian was flying the best way he knows how.It was only an exaggerated switch-hit off Nathan Lyon that slowed Maxwell, pinching a nerve in his neck. But soon enough, he was back slaying through cover before hoicking Ben Dwarshuis over the backward square rope to complete a 23-ball half-century.It didn’t end there. Somehow he made room to ping Johan Botha from outside leg stump behind point before locating the same boundary twice more off Abbott. Maxwell didn’t quite complete his mission, holing out off Brathwaite on 84, leaving a century on the shelf, but he had made it the Stars’ game to lose.A word for Rob Quiney, who played with equal freedom taking Moises Henriques down before striking Lyon gracefully twice down the ground for six. By the time the offspinner had him stumped, the Stars pair had put on 119 in 59 balls. That foundation was laid.Getty Images

Sixers fight back at the perfect time
With 150 on the board, six wickets in hand and five overs to come, the Stars were coasting to a 200-plus target. But the departure of the two set men changed the tone of the contest. Sure, 39 runs still came from the final five overs. But five overs also elapsed between the 14th and 19th over where a boundary wasn’t struck. Momentum, and all that.The Sixers won chasing in their final three fixtures and the window was now open for them on a true surface. Even if they would be one down with the bat after Jordan Silk had suffered a serious collarbone injury diving to save a boundary. From nowhere 30 minutes earlier, they were vaguely back in business.Maddinson powers on with a rare set
With dew in the air, the assessment of Maddinson was that the pitch was getting quick at the right time to take full advantage during the Sixers’ Powerplay. They suffered a setback when Daniel Hughes was caught magnificently by Evan Gulbis in the first over, but it didn’t dissuade the left-hander from going hard from the get-go. To begin, Daniel Worrall was plonked over his head and all the way by Maddinson. In the next over, Denly did likewise to the spin of Beer to get his night going. When Maddinson then pulled Worrall into the second tier of the grandstand, the party was well and truly started.But it was the fifth over that mattered most. Even in this inflated era of short-form scoring, it remains rare to see six boundaries in an over. Maddinson was in such good touch that he achieved that against the man adjudged Player of the World Cup just three years ago. Granted, the first of those did come from an edge, but the rest were controlled behind square and thrashed through cover. “Some of the best striking in BBL history” according to Ricky Ponting.Denly does the rest to finish his Sydney cameo in style
An inside edge was enough for Maddinson to raise his half-century in 22 balls, equalling his personal best. In this environment, 20-year-old left-arm wristspinner Liam Bowe never had a chance, and was pulverised for 21 from his first set. With the stand beyond 100 and the runs required to seven an over, it mattered little that Maddinson fell leg before with the score on 115 with fewer than seven an over now needed.Moises Henriques started aggressively, tucking into Bowe for another 15 runs from his second over. Denly’s 32-ball half-century looked sedate by comparison, but only went to show what a savvy acquisition he was for the Sixers to replace Jason Roy.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Julian Draxler has been a renowned player across Europe for some time now and Crystal Palace could be set to make a move for him, with a new update dropping news on talks between the clubs.

How old is Julian Draxler?

The German has enjoyed an excellent career for club and country, even though injuries have ultimately played a part in him not quite reaching his vast potential. That being said, he has still won 58 caps for Germany, scoring seven goals at international level, not to mention winning the 2014 World Cup.

Now 29 years of age, Draxler has been plying his trade at PSG since arriving from VfL Wolfsburg in 2017, making a total of 198 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants. Last season, he was sent out on loan to Benfica, however, and he was restricted to just ten games in the Primeira Liga.

The midfielder is out of contract at his current club next summer, meaning they could be keen to cash in on him before deadline day arrives next Friday night. If not, it means they will likely lose him on a free transfer in 2024, with an extension not expected to come his way, hence his loan move in 2023/24.

With Palace eyeing up some late business in the current transfer window, a potential move for Draxler looks to be on the cards, following an intriguing update.

Will Crystal Palace sign Julian Draxler?

Taking to Twitter, RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins claimed that Draxler is a summer target for Palace, as they eye up an audacious piece of business:

"Crystal Palace is interested in Julian Draxler. First contacts have taken place between Paris and the English club. The German, who has one year left on his contract, is enthusiastic about the idea of ​​​​going to London."

Granted, Draxler's career has gone the way he would have hoped, in terms of the injury layoffs and not becoming a genuine world-beater, but he could still be a really exciting signing by Palace this summer.

His talent is undeniable, having registered 41 assists and scored 26 goals for PSG, not to mention being called "world-class" by Jens Keller, and he could raise the level of everyone around him at Selhurst Park.

Draxler's contract situation means that Palace could also be able to snap him up for a cut-price amount, with PSG not in a particularly strong bargaining position, so it wouldn't necessarily be a financial risk, even given his injury record.

The fact that the player himself is keen on a move to the Eagles certainly bodes well, as he looks for a fresh challenge away from being a fringe player at PSG, and he could add that sprinkling of magic in attacking midfield, possessing the ability to open up defences and also chip in with goals of his own.

Draxler has scored 66 goals and got 80 assists in his professional career to date – that figure would be higher if he had been available more often – and that level of end product could make Palace a greater attacker force, at a time when goals can come at a premium.

Nottingham Forest target Aaron Cresswell has refused to train with the West Ham United team in recent weeks as he looks to "force through" a move away from East London after the Hammers rejected an initial offer from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, the situation has since developed, and Forest have emerged as the more likely destination for the three-capped Englishman, per Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

Nottingham Forest transfer news – what's the latest on Aaron Cresswell?

Despite spending the last nine years with the East London side – following his £2m switch from Ipswich Town – Hammers icon Cresswell looks set on leaving the club after his place as first choice on the left-hand side of the defence was taken from him last year by Emerson Palmieri.

His decision was probably made simpler when, despite making seven appearances for the club in their run to and eventual triumph in the Europa Conference League final, David Moyes didn't bring the £50,000-a-week man on in the final.

Earlier in the summer, the Daily Mail reported that Wolves were 'in talks' with the club over a potential £2.5m transfer for Cresswell, but the fee was deemed to be far too low and was promptly rejected, with Football Insider reporting that it would take a fee of around £4m to land his signature.

And while the same publication have since claimed that the West Midlands side are 'expected' to finalise the deal soon, fellow Midlands outfit Forest have emerged as a potential destination for the experienced defender, especially since he shares the same agents with Forest star Brennan Johnson.

According to the Sun's Alan Nixon, the Tricky Trees have now entered the race for the Tranmere Rovers youth product, with journalist Ryan Taylor thinking a move to the City Ground could be likely with it looking increasingly likely that Rayan Ait-Nouri will be staying with the Old Gold.

What has Ryan Taylor said about Cresswell?

Taylor explained that Cresswell refused to partake in team training following the Irons' refusal to accept Wolves' initial offer of £2.5m; however, he admitted that this could have changed in the ten days since.

He also explained that recent developments could mean that instead of Wolves, it's Forest that the Irons legend ends up playing for this season.

Taylor told GIVEMESPORT: "I don't know if it will happen, to be honest, because it looks like Rayan Ait-Nouri is going to stay at Wolves. He was in talks with Nice over a loan move. Wolves actually made a bid for Cresswell worth about £2.5million, but West Ham wanted £5million.

"It is true that he hasn't been training, I've checked that. I don't know if he is back in training now because this was about 10 days ago that he wanted to force through that move, but it's gone very quiet now.

"I've actually seen that Forest might have a look at Cresswell as well, which is interesting. I think they need a little bit of cover and competition at left-back. He's only got one year left on his deal, which was just activated recently."

How old is Aaron Cresswell?

Born December 15th, 1989, in Liverpool, England, the 33-year-old is an incredibly experienced operator and, despite being on the wrong side of 30 for a professional footballer, still looks like he's got a lot left to offer whichever Premier League club decides to stump up the cash needed to get him out of the London Stadium.

According to WhoScored, in his 28 league appearances last year, he provided one assist, maintained a passing accuracy of 81.4%, won one aerial dual a game and averaged a respectable match rating of 6.61, which is quite impressive given the poor season the club had.

And whilst he may not have scored or created as many goals as he would've liked last year, his underlying numbers suggest he was a little unfortunate in that regard and was, in fact, quite a helpful creator going forward.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the 5 foot 7 warrior sits in the top 10% for progressive passes, the top 15% for shot-creating actions and the top 21% for expected assists, all per 90.

He may not be the most exciting of signings for the Forest faithful, but given his vast experience and relatively cheap price tag, he would surely be an intelligent acquisition for Steve Cooper's side.

Nottingham Forest could pull off one of the coups of the summer, should reports be believed linking with to a true midfield destroyer…

Are Nottingham Forest signing Ibrahim Sangare?

Whilst this window has been dominated by the £105m Arsenal signing of Declan Rice, many of the smaller outfits have been working in the shadows to pry deals of that calibre without the huge fiscal burden that they often demand.

Especially those lower down the Premier League, who are so often hamstrung by FFP whilst the larger clubs are allowed to thrive.

However, that has not stopped Steve Cooper's talent ID, as they were linked just last week via reports in the Netherlands with a move for PSV Eindhoven enforcer Ibrahim Sangare.

Whilst his €37.5m (£32m) price tag might seem somewhat unattainable for a side that only avoided the drop late on last season, it is this kind of financial risk that could take them to the next level, to one day challenge alongside the free-spending Gunners.

How good is Ibrahim Sangare?

Placing the Ivorian powerhouse at the base of their midfield would immediately upgrade their engine room, not only offering defensive security to the backline but also a touch of quality that will see the ball progress with more finesse from deep.

In fact, the 25-year-old star boasts plenty of similarities with Rice, despite the huge disparity in their price tags.

The England international is famed for his ability to break up play and turn defence into attack in an instant. As such, last season in the league saw him post six goal contributions, one key pass and 2.1 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Such figures were closely emulated in the Eredivisie last term by Sangare too, who recorded six goal contributions too alongside 0.9. key passes and 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore. His 7.24 average rating would have made him Forest's best-performing player by some distance in the league last year.

Adding this shared quality with their mirrored physical frames, as they stand at 6 foot 1 and 6 foot 3 respectively, and there is precedent to assume that the PSV star will become a star under Cooper in no time at all.

Football analyst Aad de Mos sought to emphasise his skillset, as he spoke to Voetbal 4U about his touted move to Leicester City back in April: "Ibrahim Sangaré is better on one leg than Leicester’s midfield.

“He is extraordinary; this season, he has been the king of PSV. You only miss Sangeré when he’s not playing. You need someone like that, who picks up a ball and is always in between things with the point of his shoe. And lately he’s also been getting dangerous towards the opponent’s goal."

In fact, FBref serves to suggest that the Ivory Coast international is actually one of the best in his position on the continent, as when compared against midfielders across Europe he sits in the top 8% for non-penalty goals per 90, the top 9% for progressive passes per 90, the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90 and the top 18% for tackles per 90.

There truly is nothing that the midfield monster cannot do, and if he was to quickly translate that skillset into the Premier League, he would swiftly start to dominate English football and likely command a fee akin to the former West Ham United man he could well emulate.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could eventually be stumped in their bid to land Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott as they struggle to scramble funds together to acquire the England youth international, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Alex Scott moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers?

As per The Express & Star, Wolves are in a precarious position with regard to their pursuit of Scott after seeing separate bids of £18 million and £20 million turned down for his services by Bristol City.

The report states that the money needed to sign the 19-year-old is 'unavailable' due to a risk of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, potentially putting their efforts to buy Scott in doubt.

Football Insider have revealed that Bristol City chairman John Lansdown is holding out for a fee of £25 million before he will agree to sanction the Guernsey-born playmaker's exit from Ashton Gate.

Last term, the youngster established himself as a key player for Bristol City, registering two goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Over the course of the window, Bournemouth, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan have all been linked with Scott, which is a testament to his potential despite his relative inexperience in the game.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Wolves could eventually be upended in their efforts to land Scott as his other suitors may spot an opportunity to take advantage of their financial irregularities.

Jones stated: “This has become very frustrating. One week ago, Wolves looked like they might be able to start moving forward, but these FFP fears continue to hold them back.

“But, at the same time, others touted, like Spurs, aren’t moving either. If anyone is a threat, it might be Bournemouth. They have gone a little quiet and may be working on something.”

What now for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

In all honesty, Wolves have endured a torrid transfer window and only Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty and experienced stopper Tom King have been added to Julen Lopetegui's thin squad as new additions this summer, as per Transfermarkt.

Big-name departures such as Ruben Neves and Nathan Collins haven't helped their cause, while dressing room presences such as Diego Costa and Joao Moutinho have also left the building, which is hardly cause for optimism around Molineux as the new Premier League campaign draws closer.

Wolves had been in negotiations with West Ham in an attempt to acquire veteran full-back Aaron Cresswell ahead of the new campaign; however, the Hammers pulled the plug on any notion of a deal as a fee couldn't be agreed between both parties, as per The Daily Mail.

Old Gold boss Lopetegui has admitted he is "worried" about the size of the squad he has to work with at Wolves this term and the collective anxiety around the club is likely to continue the longer the window drags on if further reinforcements don't appear between now and the close of play in the market.

Sana Mir has responded to the head coach’s criticism of her alleged “negative approach” during Pakistan’s winless campaign in the 2017 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2017Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir has responded to criticism from Sabih Azhar, the team’s coach, saying she had “fought” to play a young bowler contrary to the allegations against her. She also said she did not “intend to continue” under the current circumstances.In a report, Azhar had described Mir as “self-centered, egotistical and being wrapped up in oneself” during the course of the team’s winless campaign in the 2017 Women’s World Cup in England.He had said newcomers were discouraged in the team’s set-up, and that 25-year-old Kainat Imtiaz was dropped from the playing XI against West Indies without his knowledge. Among the matters which Mir and Azhar didn’t agree upon was the selection of 21-year-old Diana Baig, the fast bowler who picked up seven wickets in five matches. Mir wrote on Facebook of this: “My coordination with the coach suffered when I insisted on playing Diana Baig, who was in absolutely great form. That was our major disagreement. Diana is talented and was in great form in the WWC 2017.”My fight was to play a youngster in the team who is ready for international cricket. I don’t regret it. Moreover, we suffered defeats in this World Cup as spinners with the new ball penetrated our top order consistently in each game, specially left-arm spinners. We are also still short of players who can perform under pressure.”Much of the focus of the report fell on the leadership of Mir. In turn Mir, who relinquished her T20 captaincy last year, said she did not want to carry on in this set-up. “I would have preferred not to have had this conversation through the media but since a confidential report by the coach, and comments by GM Women Wing and Chairman PCB have been making headlines, I feel obliged to give a short response to clarify some issues from my point of view.”I want to make it clear I don’t intend to continue in the future with the current set-up of the Women’s Wing in any capacity. I would still be sharing a detailed report with all of you to improve women’s cricket once I get back by the end of August.”Mir had previously hinted on various occasions that she would step aside after the 2017 World Cup. Having made her international debut in 2005, Mir was appointed captain in 2009 and has led Pakistan to 26 wins each in 76 ODIs and 65 T20Is.

Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta are keen on signing Montpellier forward Elye Wahi but face stiff competition for his signature, according to reports out of France.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners have been very busy so far this transfer window as sporting director Edu attempts to back Arteta with marquee additions. Arsenal fell just short of the title to eventual treble-winners Man City last season, despite being in pole position for much of the 2022/2023 campaign.

In response, they've taken swiftly to the transfer market, having put pen to paper on deals for the likes of Kai Havertz from Chelsea, defender Jurrien Timber and a club-record £105 million deal for Declan Rice from West Ham United.

The latter player represents a significant signing for Arteta in particular, with the 24-year-old becoming England's most expensive ever player ahead of both Jack Grealish (Man City) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).

More signings haven't been ruled out, either, as the north Londoners maintain an interest in Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia among others, Though reports suggest they're now looking more at outgoings to balance the books, it is believed Arteta and co are eyeing an electric young striker.

According to French news outlet Foot Mercato, both Arsenal and Newcastle hold an interest in signing Wahi from Montpellier this summer. It is believed the Frenchman is being targeted by both sides, but they may need to hurry and formalise that interest if they're serious.

Strasbourg, recently bought by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, will attempt to sign the 20-year-old who is also on the list of Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt – if the latter side manage to sell Randal Kolo Muani.

Sharing more on Arsenal's interest, the outlet explains that the north Londoners also have to make a sale before moving for Wahi.

Foot Mercato wrote:

"On the England side, Arsenal (which must sell Folarin Balogun) but also Newcastle (always on the lookout for a good shot) are also on the lookout,"

"Trained at the club, the seventh top scorer in Ligue 1 during the 2022-2023 financial year is, in any case, on the verge of a new challenge in his young career."

How good is Elye Wahi?

The promising young attacker, who bagged a brilliant 19 goals and five assists in 33 Ligue 1 appearances last season, has been praised by members of the media and club chiefs alike for his sky high potential.

"He was two or three years ahead of his peers in terms of what he could do," explains Pierre Ville, former Suresnes club president, to GOAL.

"He quickly outclassed them.

"During a tournament that we hosted, I saw him score a volley with the ball falling vertically out of the sky, like watching [Zinedine] Zidane in the 2002 Champions League final, but the boy was just 11 years old!"

Meanwhile, journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos has called Wahi a "real beast" of a forward who will "definitely explode".

Ramos wrote on Twitter:

"Elye Wahi (2003). If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season. A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode."

Wolves are battling Tottenham for the signing of Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson during the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Who is Victor Nelsson?

The Dane has been an eye-catching performer for the Turkish giants of late, having joined from Copenhagen in 2021 and become a key man since then. Last season, he started 33 matches in the Super Lig, winning an average of 3.3 clearances and 3.2 aerial duel win per game.

Nelsson was also part of Denmark's squad at the 2022 World Cup, and he made one start during the competition, coming in the 2-1 defeat to France. He has won 10 caps for his country in total, not to mention a whopping 35 for the Under-21s, prior to breaking into the senior setup.

Given the 24-year-old's impressive form for Galatasaray, they could find it extremely difficult to retain his services beyond the end of the current transfer window, even though his current deal doesn't run out until the summer of 2026. Wolves have been linked with a move for him in the recent past, and it is speculation that isn't going away, alongside rumours regarding right-back Matt Doherty.

Reports have suggested that Doherty is closing in on a return to Molineux after becoming a free agent, with Nelsson potentially joining him in the Midlands.

Could Wolves sign Victor Nelsson?

According to Ekstra Bladet [via Sport Witness], Wolves are "fighting" to sign Nelsson over Spurs this summer, as they look to bring in a top-quality defensive addition. The player himself does prefer the idea of a move to north London, however, potentially seeing them as a bigger club that can offer a greater chance of success moving forward in his career.

Wanderers could be boosted by the fact that Spurs are reluctant to pay the player's €25m (£21.2m) release clause that Galatasaray are demanding for his services, though, and the report says they are in "urgent" need of a new central defender, following Nathan Collins' transfer to Brentford.

Nelsson's future is believed to belong "in the Premier League", according to the update, but negotiations over a potential move could end up being "prolonged". Meanwhile, Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur has admitted that the centre-back is one of numerous players who could move on in the near future:

"There are concrete offers for our players. There are offers for Nelsson, Zaniolo, Sacha Boey, Cicaldau, Morutan, Kerem, Yunus, Barış, Taylan, Emre, Emin Bayram and Berkan. Fortunately, we have a good squad. There are also offers for our local football players from beautiful leagues in Europe. Whoever goes, they have very good alternatives."

Nelsson, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed as a "monster" at the back, could be a strong signing by Wolves this summer, immediately making up for the loss of Collins, who was a solid performer throughout the 2022/23 campaign, starting 19 Premier League games and enjoying an 88.1% pass completion rate.

In comparison, the Galatasaray defender completed 93.2% of his passes in his aforementioned World Cup appearance against France, highlighting the quality that he possesses on the ball.

At 24, Nelsson is at a brilliant age to come in and be a formidable signing for Wanderers for a number of years, possibly shining under Julen Lopetegui and potentially forging a strong partnership with the likes of Max Kilman, should the latter stay put at Molineux this summer, making this a move to watch.

The majority of Quetta Gladiator’s overseas contingent have opted not to travel to Lahore for the PSL final

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2017

The majority of Quetta Gladiators’ overseas contingent have opted not to travel to Lahore for the PSL final.Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills all tweeted about leaving the tournament, while former New Zealand offspinner Nathan McCullum will also not travel. Rilee Rossouw, the South African batsman, had been considering playing in the final on March 5, *but he too wrote on Twitter that he was leaving the tournament. “Its with a sad heart that I must announce that i will not be taking part in the final.”Wright, the England allrounder, tweeted: “It’s with a heavy heart I will not be coming to Lahore. I have a young family and for me a game of cricket is just not worth the risk. I’m sorry as I know how much it means to you all and hopefully in the future the safety will not be in doubt to come play there.”Pietersen signed off from the tournament with 40 from 22 balls, as Quetta stole a one-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi, taking his tally to 241 runs. Rossouw is currently their top scorer with 255 runs at 42.50 and a strike-rate 123.18.Mills took seven wickets from five matches, while Wright played just one match and McCullum did not feature.One-off payments, ranging from USD 10,000 to 50,000, are being offered to foreign players should they agree to play in Lahore. That, as one foreign player considering taking part in the final pointed out, brings its own complications. “What is the difference in me playing in Lahore under a security threat and a Pakistani player doing so?” he said. “In any attack both are at risk. And physios and masseuses? A life is a life, mine or a Pakistani player’s.”Teams who end up severely shorthanded can rope in a pool of nominated foreign players. The list, initially of 54 names, has now grown to above 60, and is said to be composed of those who were not picked in the draft last October, as well as additional names from outside the draft, who are willing to travel to Pakistan.Each franchise will nominate five to six players from the long list and hand it to the PSL, who hope that ultimately, accounting for common names that appear in multiple lists, they have a shortlist of 12 to 15 waiting on standby to participate in the final.