Newcastle United sent scouts to watch Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard in action last weekend, according to reports.

Is Benjamin Pavard leaving Bayern Munich?

The France international first arrived at the Allianz Arena back in July 2019 and has since gone on to make 161 appearances, but with his deal set to expire at the end of next season, the upcoming window is likely to be Thomas Tuchel’s final big opportunity to cash in should he not want to extend his stay in Bavaria.

Eddie Howe currently has Kieran Trippier, Harrison Ashby, Emil Krafth and Javier Manquillo as his options at right-back, but with the former not getting any younger and the latter two also being out of contract next summer, the boss could be set to enter the market for long-term reinforcements.

This is where the 6 foot 1 star comes into play as he could be about to swap Germany for the Premier League in England.

Who is signing Pavard?

According to 90min, Newcastle, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham United, all had representatives “present” for Bayern Munich’s 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig on Saturday. The Premier League scouts were all “monitoring” several different players, with the Magpies particularly “closely” watching Pavard. The St James’ Park outfit were also reportedly “keeping tabs” on Leipzig pair Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai.

According to WhoScored, Pavard has been Bayern Munich’s second-best performer in defence this season, so it’s no surprise that he’s caught the attention of Newcastle, and if the opportunity to sign him at a reasonable price presents itself, PIF should do what they can to bring him to the northeast.

The World Cup winner, who is sponsored by Adidas, currently averages 2.6 clearances per league game and has made 68 tackles since the start of the term, which is the second-highest throughout the whole of his squad at the Allianz, as per FBref.

Tuchel’s “wonderful character”, as hailed by Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness, also has eight goal contributions (seven goals and one assist) to his name across all competitions this season and ranks in the 99th percentile for three different statistics, including progressive passes – so he clearly loves to push his team higher up the pitch to some success.

Pavard, who pockets £83.5k per week, may not have been attracted to the prospect of joining the black and white stripes before, but after guaranteeing qualification for the Champions League, there’s every chance that he could be tempted to sign on the dotted line should the hierarchy make an official approach in the months ahead.

Commentator and football writer Derek Clark has reacted positively after hearing Rangers are linked with a summer transfer for Kieran Dowell.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

As we head towards the end of the Scottish Premiership season, it looks as though this won't be a title-winning campaign for the Ibrox outfit.

Indeed, Michael Beale and co sit 12 points off the pace in second place, but behind-the-scenes plans may well already be taking place in preparation for next season.

With that in mind, some rumours have emerged recently in the press suggesting Dowell could be on his way to Scotland.

As per Football Insider, Rangers are lining up a pre-contract offer for the Norwich City midfielder, with his current deal set to expire in the summer​​​​​​.

While talking about this on the latest edition of The Rangers Review, Clark offered his verdict on the player having seen him impress in the past.

He said: "The time he was on loan at Wigan from Everton, I was impressed every time I watched him. I know it was a few seasons ago now, but I think that would be good business if Rangers were to bring him in, especially for no transfer fee as well."

Why do Rangers want to sign Kieran Dowell from Norwich?

At the moment, Dowell currently earns a reported £7.5k per week in the Championship, and when you factor in that he won't cost a transfer fee, this could be an affordable deal for Rangers to pull off.

What's more, they seem to have a working relationship with Norwich already, having signed English midfielder Todd Cantwell in January.

Dowell has been in and out of the Canaries team this term, but having delivered five goals and three assists in just 1,115 minutes of Championship action this term (across 23 outings), Rangers could be landing a pretty good player.

He's also shown glimpses of his quality in the past, too. For example, during his loan spell at Wigan referenced by Clark, he once delivered a rare 10/10 Sofascore match rating, scoring a hat-trick and providing an assist in an 8-0 win over Hull City.

With that in mind, it's no wonder Clark with impressed by that loan spell. At 25 years of age, it feels as though we are still yet to see the best of the promising midfielder, and if Rangers can unlock Dowell's full potential at Ibrox, this could be a great deal.

Centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay led India’s response to England’s 537 on an engrossing third day in Rajkot

The Report by Sidharth Monga11-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:13

Ganguly: Pujara is a must for India at No.3

Cheered on by his passionate but impassive father and his much more demonstrative wife, Cheteshwar Pujara scored an emotional century in the debut Test for his home ground of Rajkot. M Vijay complemented him with a more temperate defensive display of 126 off 301 balls to take India closer to safety after they had conceded 537 in five sessions on a pitch expected to become difficult as the game progressed. The 209-run partnership between Vijay and Pujara made them the most prolific duo for India since the start of 2010.The pitch didn’t deteriorate as much as expected, but to look at scores of 537 and 319 for 4 and conclude that it was a featherbed that produced boring cricket will be a disservice to the batsmen and bowlers who showed a lot of discipline and persistence. There was turn on offer but not variable, and there was a bare patch on a good length for seamers to work with. While for most periods of the day the England’s bowlers kept the batsmen honest without necessarily threatening them, they will be disappointed the quicks failed to generate reverse and the spinners got cut and pulled regularly.There was always something to work with, but whenever the bowlers got it right, Vijay and Pujara, who came together when Gautam Gambhir’s feet got him into a messy tangle to the seventh ball of the day, worked hard to thwart them. Especially while having to go through almost scoreless periods against the seam of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad. In the first session Woakes tested them with a five-over spell of six runs and three body blows for Pujara. In the second session Broad went 5-4-1-0, targeting that bare patch just short of a driving length. In the final session Broad and Ben Stokes asked questions with the new ball.During the Woakes spell in the morning, 14 runs came in 10 overs. While Broad charged in mid-afternoon, 10 overs yielded 18 runs and a chance shelled by debutant by Haseeb Hameed at short cover. Unlike Pujara, Vijay had driven on the up to a ball that landed in that dry patch, and was reprieved on 66. India then welcomed DRS when Pujara successfully reviewed an lbw call when on 86, with extra bounce helping overturn the on-field decision.While England didn’t give the batsmen much to work with, the batsmen were good enough to recognise spells of play they could exploit. Scoring happened in spurts. Pujara came out and attacked Moeen Ali – out twice to the offspinner in 53 balls before this Test, he used his feet to disrupt his length. India had added 41 in nine overs to their overnight 63 in this period as Pujara raced away to 25 off 29.Then came Woakes. He didn’t just bowl short at Pujara, he bowled an excellent line, straight at his lid. Pujara, committing to the front foot almost every delivery, kept taking his eye off the ball while trying to sway. To his credit, Pujara never threw his hands up in self-defence, which would have brought the glove or the edge into play. Arvind Pujara, his father who was a wicketkeeper for Saurashtra, watched on without emotion. Puja, his wife, looked concerned.Ben Stokes gave England a much-needed wicket•Associated Press

Pujara scored 6 off 32 in these 10 overs. Once Woakes was done, England went to the man who makes things happen for them. This follow-up after that stranglehold was crucial with half an hour to go to lunch. Stokes, though, began with a half-volley second ball. Pujara’s intent meant he was on to it to drive it to the cover point boundary. Then a straight ball was glanced away, and Pujara had found his flow again. From 118 for 1, India added 44 in this period of eight overs to own the session. In the space of 25 balls, Pujara hit six boundaries to double his score of 31.Vijay at the other end had his own flow. For long periods of time you only noticed him when a possible two was kept to one because Pujara is not the quickest runner. Otherwise he would be leaving balls outside off, defending those at the stumps, and taking ones or twos only when they were too short or too straight. Vijay was there for his partner, though. After Pujara had been hit for the third time, he got right behind a ball in defence. At the non-striker’s end, Vijay’s bat went in the air, and the glove knocked it in applause, reassuring his partner that he just needed to get through that period of play.This amount of concentration can be exhausting especially when you are going at a little better than a run every three balls like Vijay was. Vijay, though, had one tool at his disposal: the lofted shot against the spinners. Every now and then, without any rhyme or reason, never ostensibly looking for a release, he would step out to spinners and languidly chip them back over their head. He attempted it six times, hitting two sixes each off Moeen And Zafar Ansari, and a four each off Ansari and Adil Rashid. Those 32 runs were the lubricant for his innings, the final session of which he spent hobbling after being hit in the knee.There was no spurt in the middle session in which 66 runs came. The drama in the middle session belonged to the Pujara family. Ansari’s reintroduction brought the first bit of natural variation. Pujara was caught right in front, but given the bounce in the pitch – earlier a Rashid googly had failed to draw an lbw verdict because of that reason – and also with the reviews to be reset in 10 overs, he challenged the decision. Finally Arvind showed emotion, that of visible relief as his son, whose cricket has been his preoccupation for more than a decade, was allowed to go for the 14 runs needed to bring up his century.Pujara gave everybody a nervous few minutes, spending eight balls on 99 before coming back after tea to score the 100th run. Then, against the run of play, Pujara steered the first ball of a new Stokes spell straight to first slip to be dismissed for 124. England still had an hour and a half to make further inroads. The plans and their execution was spot-on. The seamers bowled consistently around the sixth stump to Kohli, but the India captain seemed determined to not go after them even if it meant scoring just 1 run off the first 16 balls he faced.If there was one criticism of Vijay’s batting and Cook’s captaincy, it revolved around Rashid. Cook underused his most threatening spinner of the day, and Vijay – for some strange reason, despite being such a good player of spin – played the wrong ‘uns off the pitch. In what turned out to be the penultimate over of the day, Rashid got Vijay caught at short leg with a googly followed by Ansari snaring the nightwatchman Amit Mishra.Not that it mattered now, but India ended the day 19 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

Dale Steyn has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-20161:03

Personal records don’t bother me – Steyn

Dale Steyn has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings after picking up match figures of 8 for 99 in South Africa’s 204-run win over New Zealand in Centurion. Steyn went up two places in the rankings, leapfrogging R Ashwin and James Anderson, to become No. 1 for the first time since December 2015, when he suffered a shoulder injury during the Durban Test against England.Top five Test bowlers

Dale Steyn (South Africa)

James Anderson (England)

R Ashwin (India)

Stuart Broad (England)

Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

The other two members of South Africa’s pace attack in Centurion also climbed the rankings, with Vernon Philander going from 13th to 11th, and Kagiso Rabada from 30th to 27th. Faf du Plessis, who scored a century in South Africa’s first innings, jumped from 33rd to 24th in the Test batsmen’s rankings.South Africa’s 1-0 series win, meanwhile, lifted them from seventh to fifth in the team rankings, which meant they swapped places with New Zealand, who now sit a place below sixth-placed Sri Lanka.

Everything you need to know about French superstar Antoine Griezmann!

Antoine Griezmann is a French professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for La Liga club Atletico Madrid and the France national team.

Born on March 21, 1991, in Mâcon, France, Griezmann is widely regarded as one of the best attackers in the world. He has dazzled football fans over the years thanks to his instinctive finishing, playmaking ability, range of passing, work-rate, and creativity on the pitch.

He began his football journey at a young age, joining the youth academy of his local club, UF Mâcon. His potential caught the attention of scouts, and at the age of 13, he moved to Spain to join the renowned youth academy of Real Sociedad. It was here that Griezmann honed his skills and developed his unique playing style.

Griezmann worked his way up the ranks and made his La Liga debut in the 2009/10 season. He quickly established himself as a key player, showcasing his technical abilities, vision, and goal-scoring instincts. His breakthrough season came in the 2013-2014 campaign when he scored 16 league goals and helped Sociedad secure a Champions League qualification spot.

His performances drew attention from top clubs, and in 2014, he joined Atletico Madrid for a reported fee of €30 million after a famous phone call from head coach Diego Simeone. Griezmann flourished and became a central figure in Atletico's success.

During his first stint at Atletico, Griezmann won several trophies, including the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup. His most notable achievement came in the 2015-2016 season when he helped Atletico reach the UEFA Champions League final, scoring a crucial goal against Real Madrid. Although Atletico fell short in the final, Griezmann's performances earned him the tournament's Golden Boot as the top scorer.

In 2019, he made a high-profile move to Barcelona, joining the Catalan giants in a €120 million deal. However, he failed to live up to expectations, scoring just 22 goals in 74 La Liga games for the Catalan club.

After three turbulent years at Camp Nou, he returned to Wanda Metropolitano on loan last season, which was made permanent by Atleti at the start of the current season as he has rediscovered his confidence and peak form back under Simeone.

As for his exploits on the international stage, he made his debut for the French national team in 2014 and has since become an integral part of the squad. He played a crucial role in France's journey to the final of the 2016 UEFA European Championship, where they narrowly lost to Portugal. In the tournament, he won the Golden Boot as the top scorer and was also named the Player of the Tournament.

However, the pinnacle of Griezmann's international career came in 2018 when he played a vital role in France's FIFA World Cup triumph. Griezmann's performances earned him the Silver Ball as the tournament's second-best player and also shone as arguably the best French player after Kylian Mbappe at the recent 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he helped them reach the final.

Here are 13 fun facts about Griezmann you need to know!

• Nicknamed as 'The Little Prince' 🤴

  Griezmann is nicknamed "The Little Prince" because of his diminutive stature, exceptional playmaking skills, and intelligent footballing brain. He stands at a modest height of 5 ft 9in, which is relatively short for a professional footballer. However, Griezmann's small size does not stop him from being one of the best players in the world.

  The nickname is also a reference to the famous French novel of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The novel narrates the story of a young prince who travels to different planets in search of knowledge and wisdom. Griezmann has said that he likes the character of the Little Prince, and he sees himself as a kind of "little prince" on the pitch. Thus, the moniker is a fitting one.

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• Difficult start in French Football

  Griezmann struggled to get his first opportunity in the world of football, as scouts in France considered him too small and skinny to make it through to the professional game. Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Metz, Auxerre, Sochaux and Montpellier all scouted him, but none were willing to take him in.

  Thankfully, Real Sociedad’s French scout Eric Olhats saw the youngster and his supreme technical skills that he was offered a chance to join an elite academy.

  The teenager had to move to continue his football development and even stayed with Olhats during his initial years at the Basque club's academy after making the move to northern Spain.

  Had things gone differently, he could have been playing for PSG or Lyon but well, Ligue 1's loss was La Liga's gain as he has gone on to represent several Spanish giants throughout his career so far.

• Getty Images
  

  Pavel Nedved, one of his favourite players

  Griezmann, like all young football fans, had many idols growing up, but none more so than Pavel Nedvd, whose poster he had on his wall. As a youngster, he even used to copy the Czech maestro’s hairstyle. Among his other childhood heroes were Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, Sonny Anderson – with whom he was famously photographed as a kid – and David Beckham.

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• Lyon is his boyhood club ❤️

  Lyon is a city that holds special memories for the current Atletico Madrid star, who grew up in the town of Macon, near Lyon. He was an Olympique Lyonnais supporter as a kid and often visited the Stade de Gerland to support the club. However, Lyon rejected to enroll the youngster into their academy due to his height. Needless to say, it was a painful experience for the boyhood OL fan.

  Ironically, one of his first big breakout moments came against his boyhood club French side when OL locked horns with Real Sociedad in a Champions League qualifier in 2013. Griezmann scored a spectacular bicycle kick in the away leg as Real Sociedad won the tie 4-0.

  He would also score a wonderful brace for France in Lyon during Euro 2016 and won the 2017/18 Europa League final in the city with Atletico Madrid, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over OL's rivals Marseille.

Leeds United could lose Wilfried Gnonto this summer, amid interest in the winger from a number of top clubs, according to recent reports from Italy.

Which Leeds players are leaving?

Leeds may be forced to rebuild their squad this summer, as a number of players could be on the move, with defender Robin Koch recently being linked with a switch to Tottenham Hotspur, in a deal that could be worth around £15m.

Fellow defender Max Wober will have to consider his future following the relegation from the Premier League, while the new manager will probably have to bring in a new option between the sticks, as Illan Meslier has been widely tipped to leave.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now confirmed that loanee Weston McKennie "won't be back at Elland Road", and Jack Harrison could also be on the move, for what could be a cut-price fee.

Another winger that the Whites could have a difficult time trying to keep hold of is Gnonto, as according to CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness), big Serie A sides are keen on signing the 19-year-old alongside Arsenal and Manchester City.

The interested clubs are waiting to see what Leeds decide to do with the youngster, as other reports have indicated that it is not far-fetched for him to be playing in the Championship next season, with Phil Hay stating the attack is a player Leeds want to keep.

Given that the Italian is contracted until 2027, there is no pressing need to sell him, but it remains to be seen whether his head is turned by one of the numerous top clubs circling.

Should Leeds sell Wilfried Gnonto?

The starlet is already a ten-time Italy international, and he has been impressive at times for Leeds this season, picking up four goals and four assists, so it is no wonder that several top clubs are vying for his signature.

It is not detailed in the report what kind of fee the West Yorkshire club could command for the winger, but given that Harrison is already expected to leave, it is probably worth keeping hold of him unless a huge offer is received.

At 19 years of age, the £20k-per-week ace could still develop considerably, but he is already showing promising attacking signs, and he is also capable of pitching in defensively, ranking in the 94th percentile for blocks and 81st for tackles per 90 in the past year.

Hailed as "fantastic" by Jesse Marsch, Gnonto has a lot of potential, and Leeds should keep hold of him this summer, if they are able to do so.

Who will Colin Bell pick in his final squad? GOAL takes a look…

The South Korean national women's team is set to play in their fourth FIFA Women's World Cup finals in July, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand.

Their best finish was in the 2015 edition when they reached the round of 16 but were beaten 3-0 by France.

They qualified for the 2023 Women's World Cup by virtue of making it to the last four of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup. In fact, they surpassed the qualification standard and made it to the final of the continental competition but lost 3-2 to China to finish as runners-up.

In 2023, they have not been able to hit the top gear as they have won only two out of five matches. They lost all three matches against England, Belgium and Italy respectively in the Clark Cup before returning to winning ways against Zambia at home in April

They have been drawn in Group H in the Women's World Cup along with South Korea, Colombia, Morocco and Germany.

Who can Ian Bell pick in the World Cup squad? GOAL takes a look…

• Getty Images
  

  GOALKEEPERS

  Kim Jung-mi is the number one choice between the sticks for South Korea. She was the preferred shot-stopper during the Clark Cup friendlies in Europe and also had the gloves during one of the friendlies against Zambia.

  She has more than 130 caps to her name and there is little doubt that Bell trusts her skills under the bar. Barring any injury concerns she should have the gloves in Australia.

  Yoon Young-geul, the 35-year-old keeper of Swedish side BK Hacken is another experienced candidate and is a solid backup keeper. While the third spot can go to Suwon UDC's young keeper Kim Kyeong-hee.

  Name	Club
  Yoon Young-geul	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Kim Jung-mi	BK Hacken
  Kim Kyeong-hee	Suwon UDC
  Ryu Ji-soo	Seoul WFC

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• Getty Images
  

  DEFENDERS

  Bell sets his defence up according to the strengths of the opposition. While he mostly likes to field a three-woman backline, sometimes he can shift to a more traditional four players in defence.

  The three central defenders are most likely to be Kim Hye-ri, Lim Seon-joo, and Hong Hye-ji. The first two are counted among the most experienced candidates in the squad and boast of having more than 100 caps. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Hong is following in the footsteps of his senior colleagues and has established herself as an integral part of Korea's defence.

  If one of the three is unavailable or injured, then Shim Seo-yeon or Kim Yun-Ji is called upon to fill in the vacancy.

  Whereas, if Bell shifts to a back four, which is rare, then among the three centre-backs two are chosen, while Choo Hyo-Joo and Jang Sel-gi are the two full-backs. And in the other case, Choo & Jang are deployed as the right and left wing-backs.

  Name	Club
  Choo Hyo-joo	Suwon UDC
  Hong Hye-ji	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Shim Seo-yeon	Suwon UDC
  Kim Hye-yeong	Gyeongju KHNP WFC
  Kim Yun-ji	Suwon UDC
  Lim Seon-joo	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Jang Sel-gi	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Kim Hye-ri	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Kim Jin-hui	Gyeongju KHNP WFC
  Lee Soo-in	Korea University-Sejong
  Jeong Yu-jin	Changnyeong WFC
  Lee Young-ju	Madrid CFF

• Getty Images
  

  MIDFIELDERS

  Bell usually has three midfielders at the centre of the park to complement his two advanced wing-backs. While two of them are likely to position themselves right before the central defenders to plug in the gaps, one of them will have the license to join the attack.

  The manager has plenty of quality at his disposal and he usually likes to shuffle the pack. Cho So-Hyun and Ji So-yun are the two most experienced players with close to 150 caps each and they are the two preferred options at the centre of the park.

  They are mostly joined by Son Hwa-yeon of Incheon Hyundai SRA in an advanced role. Whereas, Jang Yu-bin of Seoul WFC is an upcoming talent whom Bell likes to introduce in the latter stages of the game and she will be the one to look out for in Australia.

  Name	Club
  Bae Ye-bin	Uiduk University
  Chun Ga-ram	Hwacheon KSPO
  Park Ye-eun	Brighton & Hove Albion
  Park Hye-jeong	Sejong Sportstoto
  Ji So-yun	Suwon UDC
  Cho So-hyun	Tottenham Hotspur
  Jang Chang	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Lee Min-a	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Park Ye-na	Mungyeong Sangmu
  Kim Seong-mi	Incheon Hyundai SRA

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• Getty Images
  

  FORWARDS

  Bell is spoilt for choices when it comes to selecting his forwards. Jung Seol-bin might be given the responsibility to lead the lines. The 33-year-old plies her trade with Incheon Hyundai SRA and has 22 international goals in her career.

  Meanwhile, Brighton's Lee Geum-min acts as the perfect foil for Jung. The Brighton forward scored five goals in two matches against Zambia in April and will hope to bring her best form in the tournament.

  Park Eun-sun is another option and she has the experience to make a difference at the highest stages. On a few occasions, Bell has used Park & Jung as two strikers upfront with Lee operating from a bit deeper position.

  Name	Club
  Son Hwa-yeon	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Choe Yu-ri	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Park Eun-sun	Seoul WFC
  Jang Yu-bin	Seoul WFC
  Seo Ji-youn	Gyeongju KHNP WFC
  Jung Seol-bin	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Lee Eun-young	Korea University-Sejong
  Jeon Eun-ha	Suwon UDC
  Moon Mi-ra	Incheon Hyundai SRA
  Hyun Seul-gi	Mungyeong Sangmu
  Jeon Yu-gyeong	Changnyeong WFC
  Ko Min-jung	Uiduk University
  Lee Jung-min	Gyeongju KHNP WFC
  Kang Chae-rim	Suwon UDC

Cricket South Africa’s chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, has called on the ICC to clarify the laws around polishing the ball in the wake of the Faf du Plessis case

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-20162:51

Moonda: ‘Relief for South Africa’

Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat has called on the ICC to clarify the rules around polishing the ball, particularly with regard to what constitutes an “artificial substance”, after South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball tampering.A decision has not yet been made on whether du Plessis will appeal the verdict, which resulted in him being fined his entire match fee from the Hobart Test but cleared to play in Adelaide this week. During the Hobart Test, du Plessis shined the ball with saliva while he had a confectionery item in his mouth, which the ICC determined was in contravention of Law 42, which allows players to polish the ball provided no artificial substance is used.”At this stage we’ve advised Faf to reserve his position with regard to the match referee’s finding and wait for the full reasons of his decision before deciding his next step,” Lorgat said in Adelaide on Wednesday. “Very understable, Faf is obviously disappointed by the decision and I can fully understand.”In fairness to both him and the ICC, this is an unprecedented case involving unique issues of policy, science and performance that need to be carefully considered at the highest levels of the game. There are also issues relating to fair and just process, interpretation of the rules, and importantly, the consistent application of the Code of Conduct that needs to be considered.”CSA believes that the Laws of the game do not currently define the term ‘artificial substance’, leaving room for inconsistent application of the rules. For instance, the Laws currently prevent the use of ‘artificial substances’ to polish the ball, yet artificial cotton fibres from playing kit can be used to shine the ball.”Players also regularly chew gum when applying saliva to the ball, or ingest sugary drinks and sweets during short breaks in play before shining the ball. No action is taken in such circumstances by the umpires.””Test match cricket is a competitive sport at the highest level and players and fans deserve certainty around these issues. Integrity and consistent application of the rules are important for everyone. We’ll consult with our legal teams. We want to engage with the ICC in a constructive matter, and we want to deal with this properly.”The Code of Conduct charge was laid by ICC chief executive David Richardson, who is also a qualified lawyer. On Wednesday, Richardson said on Australian television that the ICC “drew the line” because du Plessis’ actions were “pretty obvious”.”Probably in this case in particular, we drew the line,” Richardson told the Nine Network. “We said, ‘we need to charge’ because in our eyes anyway it was pretty obvious that he was using the residue from the sweet directly on the ball.”I think the bottom line is if you want to change the condition of the ball by polishing it, in other words improving it, keeping it, retaining its condition, do so, but don’t use any artificial substance.”

Arsenal's pursuit of a new defender has just taken a fresh turn, with a new update outlined by a true transfer specialist.

What's the latest on Sacha Boey on Arsenal?

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are still in the race to sign Galatasaray's Sacha Boey despite reports coming earlier in the week suggesting they had seen a bid rejected.

He wrote on Twitter: "Arsenal are one of the two English clubs informed on Sacha Boey deal conditions — but told NO meeting took place with #AFC at this stage. Galatasaray board asked for at least €25m (£22m) fee during meetings in London."

With Cedric Soares' £75k-per-week deal set to expire next year too, such persistence to acquire the Frenchman could spell bad news for the Portuguese defender, who reportedly plans to stay and fight for his place in Mikel Arteta's side, but might not get such an option.

Is Sacha Boey better than Arsenal's Cedric?

To compare their respective campaigns to decide who might back up Ben White for the coming season would surely mark a no-brainer, given how Boey has shone in his debut year in Turkish football.

Featuring 29 times in the Super Lig, the 22-year-old has maintained a 7.11 average match rating throughout a title-winning year, upheld through one key pass, 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and two clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Such form has almost confirmed the suspicions journalist Zach Lowy noted even before his move, outlining him as an "intriguing prospect" back in 2021.

Then, when looking at Cedric, he instead has only managed a total of 12 games across all competitions which has included a loan spell at Fulham. Even when looking back to last campaign, when the 31-year-old at least managed 16 league starts, his average match rating of 6.86 was still nowhere near that of Boey's.

Ironically enough, when trawling back through the Portuguese defender's average Sofascore ratings for each Premier League campaign, the apex came all the way back in 2016, and even that 7.07 rating is below that of his potential successor.

What Arteta has laid out in front of him is a choice between acquiring another talent to align with his youth-first transfer policy, or an ageing stalwart who has contributed plenty during his three years in north London but is clearly declining.

However, his experience is hardly a necessity now, especially in full-back positions when White and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been the first-choice options this term.

Cedric has fulfilled his purpose in north London and can now leave on a high with a fine reputation and an even finer replacement seemingly lined up.

Arsenal could reignite their interest in a familiar figure, according to recent reports…

Arsenal transfer news – Raphinha back on the Gunners' radar

Spanish outlet SPORT have claimed that sporting director Edu Gaspar has regulary been in contact with FC Barcelona over a potential move for Raphinha, having missed out on him prior to his switch to the Nou Camp.

It's thought that the Brazil winger, who made a name for himself at Leeds United, is growing open to the idea of leaving the LaLiga giants this summer transfer window but is yet to decide what club he wishes to join, with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United also presenting offers to his agent, Deco.

Barcelona are set to demand a fee in the region of €70m and €80m, meaning he could cost the Gunners in excess of £70m.

Could Raphinha become Mikel Arteta's own Riyad Mahrez?

It seems as if Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has held a long-term admiration for Raphinha, having already impressed in the English top-flight with Leeds, though it would certainly be an interesting move for the club to make, given Bukayo Saka's immense form on the right flank this term.

That said, with the Gunners back in the Champions League next season, a swoop for the 26-year-old dynamo shouldn't be ignored, particularly as he could give the Spaniard a familar presence and one that could elevate the club onto the next level.

In the past, Raphinha has been likened to Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez, a terrific talent that Arteta worked with closely during his time as assistant manager to Pep Guardiola. The Algerian winger even noted how 'sad' it was to see him leave to takeover from Unai Emery back in 2019.

"He’s scored some very, very important goals. The way he drifts and comes in on the inside it reminds me of Riyad Mahrez," said Robbie Keane, who was appointed as Sam Allardyce's first-team coach at Elland Road earlier this week, on Sky Sports (via LeedsLive).

Also having lauded the tricky maestro as a "revelation" with "a real ability", there is no denying that Raphinha is an electric talent and it's not as if things haven't worked out in Spain because he has provided seven goals and six assists in LaLiga this season, despite averaging just 58 minutes per appearance.

FBref liken his statistical profile to that of Saka, as well as another City star in Phil Foden, so he should have no problems in adapting to Arteta's system and ideology.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers across Europe's 'top five' divisions, the Barca gem ranks inside the top 7% for non-penalty expected goals and expected assists per 90, the top 8% for total shots per 90 and the top 9% for passes attempted per 90, via FBref, making him a creative yet dynamic threat in the final third.

It is perhaps why his former Whites teammate Dan James once hailed him as a "magician" who "can do absolutely anything on the pitch."

These are all attributes that are associated with Mahrez too, an immense wizard who is often capable of cutting in and doing the unthinkable from the right flank and in recent outings, he has emerged as the difference-maker for City as they look set to pip the Gunners to the title.

Across the last three games, the 32-year-old has provided four assists, including two in their 2-1 win over Leeds over the weekend.

In Raphinha, Arteta could be getting his own version of the player he once coached; someone able to turn a game on its head and one that could well get Arsenal a little closer to thwarting City's powerful dominance in English football.

As such, Edu must pay up to land the Brazil sensation this summer.