Stuart Broad has reportedly been interviewed for the England Test captaincy, along with Joe Root and Ben Stokes

Andrew Miller10-Feb-2017Stuart Broad confirmed that he has held talks with the ECB, as the board launched its search for Alastair Cook’s successor as Test captain, but insisted he has “not specifically” thrown his hat into the ring for the role.Speaking to reporters at Buckingham Palace after receiving an MBE from Prince Charles, Broad said that he backed Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, to make the right appointment, after it emerged that the frontrunners for the role – Broad, Joe Root and Ben Stokes – had all held meetings with Strauss and James Whitaker, the chairman of selectors, on Thursday.”I’ve played for England for a long time, over ten years, so as a senior player you are going to share views and talk to coaches and hierarchies about how the team moves forward,” said Broad.”It’s important that players who’ve been involved, and who you see leading the team forward in the next few years, are consulted.”When he was captain, Andrew Strauss was one of the best decision-makers I’ve ever played with and, now he’s moved into the top of English cricket, I’m sure he’ll consider all options and malke a very sensible and good decision.”While Root remains the overwhelming favourite to lead England in their next Test series, against South Africa in July, there are legitimate concerns about the workload on both him and Stokes, two players who are deemed indispensable to England in all three formats.And that could yet be a reason to hand the Test captaincy to Broad, 30, a senior player with established leadership qualities (he was England T20 captain for three years until Eoin Morgan succeeded him in 2015), but who has played only two limited-overs matches since the 2015 World Cup.Moreover, with England’s defence of the Ashes fast approaching in November, Broad’s proven appetite for the heat of battle in Australia – where he has recently completed a successful stint with Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash – could be another reason to entrust him with the captaincy.Broad sympathy for de Villiers

Stuart Broad believes that AB de Villiers has made a wise decision to postpone his return to Test cricket until after this summer’s England tour, as he seeks to regain full fitness after a long-term injury lay-off.
Broad, who has dismissed de Villiers ten times in Test cricket, more than any other bowler, admitted he would miss “testing himself against the best”, but said that de Villiers had to do what was right for his long-term career.
“He needs to get it right, because what people don’t realise when cricketers get injured, it’s not just the physical pain that it can cause you, it’s the mental strain of actually getting up every day and playing through pain.
“It’s like playing with a headache every day, and it wears you down over a period of time. I’d always encourage any cricketer who has had long-term niggles to make sure the body gets right, so it would certainly be wrong of me to encourage AB to come over and play through an injury that has hampered him for a little while.
“But if he does have a change of heart come July it’d be lovely to see him at Lord’s. The lunches are still as good.”

Not only has he produced series-winning spells in each of England’s last three home Ashes series, most memorably with his 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge in 2015, he was also one of the few players to emerge with his reputation enhanced on the disastrous whitewash tour Down Under in 2013-14, finishing as England’s highest wicket-taker with 21 scalps.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Broad recalled how the events of that tour helped to “make him as a cricketer”, most notably during the opening exchanges of the first Test in Brisbane, where a local newspaper, the Courier-Mail, instigated a vendetta against him as a consequence of his refusal to walk for a catch at slip during the Trent Bridge Test in 2013.Throughout the contest, the paper referred to him only as “the 27-year-old medium-pacer”, and encouraged the crowds to let him know what they thought of him, but after claiming first-innings figures of 6 for 81, Broad walked into that evening’s press conference with a copy of the paper under his arm.”That really helped make me as a cricketer,” Broad told ESPNcricinfo. “It made me quite a steely character, made me know how to deal with crowd pressure, put it to one side and work on your performance.”It was an experience for sure, I played there in the Big Bash against Brisbane, and got a bit of crowd interaction but certainly not as much as in an England shirt. To walk away with that sort of reaction but with a six-for was a pleasing feeling. I told myself I can deal with everything that’s thrown at me externally and still deliver a good performance.”Obviously the Test didn’t go our way but I know I am a competitive bloke, I thrive in competitive situations, and there’s no better situation than an Ashes series away from home, and it’s a hugely exciting challenge for us.”We’ve got a lot to get through but we are building a team that can challenge Australia in Australia. I spent some time there and there’s no doubt they are formidable in their own conditions, but we have players of the likes of Root and Stokes, Jos Buttler’s such a dangerous talent with the bat, and Moeen Ali too.”These are guys who are delivering on the big stage, plus a few senior guys who’ve been there and done that. We are growing as a team and this will be an exciting Test team to follow over the next few years.”Stuart Broad had to endure hostility from the fans and the media during the Brisbane Test in 2013•Getty ImagesDespite speculation that he might be in line for a return to the ODI squad for the forthcoming tour of the Caribbean, Broad was last week overlooked in an unchanged squad, and appears to recognise that county cricket will be his priority for the foreseeable future, as he readies himself to face South Africa, Test opponents that England have not beaten on home soil since 1998.”I’ve got a great period now with no Test cricket until July,” Broad said. “I haven’t had that for about eight or nine years, so I’m looking forward to the next period of time, doing my pre-season with Notts, heading over to Barbados, and setting high standards for myself come July.””South Africa are always a tough team, that’s what made winning in South Africa so special,” he added. “I’ve played in two series against them at home, they beat us in 2008, when I got dropped towards the end of the series, then Hashim Amla got a triple at The Oval [in 2012] and they beat us in that series too.”They are always great competitors, very skillful in our conditions, and that makes this summer a huge one. It’s important for us to get back to winning ways after a tough tour of India. Everyone expected that – five back-to-back with no warm-ups was going to be tricky – but England in our own conditions, at grounds that we are used to and where we have very good records, should encourage us to really take South Africa on.”

Manchester United could pursue Ajax defender Jurrien Timber this summer as Erik Ten Hag looks to solidify his backline ahead of 2023/24, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Jurrien Timber?

As per talkSPORT, Timber was spotted at Wembley Stadium earlier this month when Manchester United took on Manchester City in the FA Cup Final, which eventually resulted in a 2-1 victory for the latter.

According to Florian Plettenberg via The Mirror, Ajax are open to selling Timber this summer and would seek to recoup around £44 million for the £49k-a-week ace, who rejected the chance to join Manchester United last year despite efforts from Ten Hag to try and entice Timber to Old Trafford.

Timber, who has been hailed as "crazy", has recently commented on speculation linking him with a move away from Ajax, as per Algemeen Dagblad via METRO, stating: "I assume that next season will be better. With or without me, Ajax usually gets it back on track. I understand the guys who think: if a top club comes, I will go. It is also difficult to say no. Only, I don’t have that at all. In my case everything is still open. Quite a lot is happening in the background in terms of interest. I will soon see what the concrete options are."

The Guardian claim that Napoli defender Kim Min-jae is also a target for the Red Devils in the off-season, while club captain Harry Maguire could be allowed to leave Old Trafford in a potential defensive reshuffle.

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Jones thinks that Timber may come to the fore as a target for Manchester United at some point in the summer.

Jones told FFC: "Manchester United have looked again towards the Eredivisie for options and Jurrien Timber might yet be one that emerges from there. I think Kim Min-jae is the one that people are most interested in. It's all about that small window in July when he's available for a good price that is going to ultimately define whether or not that happens."

Would Jurrien Timber be a good signing for Manchester United?

Timber, who "runs the show at the back", is an excellent prospect that has already gained plenty of first-team experience at Ajax and would be a signing that could benefit Manchester United for years to come.

During 2022/23, the 21-year-old made 47 appearances across all competitions for Ajax, registering two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Timber has also stood out in the art of progressive carries compared to his positional peers across Europe's next eight leagues behind the top five divisions on the continent, recording an average of 2.38 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile.

In the Eredivisie, Timber has shown natural defensive instincts to nicely complement his penchant to carry the ball into midfield, successfully making 1.9 clearances and 1.4 challenges per fixture, as per WhoScored.

Moving forward, Manchester United should do everything in their power to bring Timber to Old Trafford due to his potential to develop into a world-class star.

Liverpool are interested in signing Rennes and Belgium attacker Jeremy Doku in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Have Liverpool been linked with Doku before?

The 21-year-old has been seen as a potential target for the Reds in the past, although a move for him has never materialised over the years, as he forges an impressive career for himself.

Currently plying his trade at Rennes, Doku has become a key player for the Ligue 1 side, scoring six goals and registering two assists in the league last season, as well as two of the latter in the Europa League. The winger has also caught the eye for Belgium since making his debut, netting twice in 14 caps, and possibly being seen as a long-term starter as he matures with age.

With Liverpool looking to enjoy a busy summer in the transfer market, it looks as though their interest in Doku isn't yet dead in the water.

What's the latest on Doku to Liverpool?

According to journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter on Twitter [via Get French Football News], the Reds' level of intrigue is "powerful", suggesting a move is far from out of the question this summer.

Not a huge amount else is provided on the matter, which suggests a bid hasn't been tabled, but it certainly looks as though Anfield is a potential next destination for the Belgian.

Doku is a massive talent who could have a big future in the game – journalist Robin Bairner has described him as "devastating" in the past – so in many ways, it is exciting to see him being linked with a move to Anfield. That being said, there have to be questions marks over whether Liverpool actually need to bring him in right now, considering they already have Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo as strong attacking options.

It is hard to see where Doku would fit in, especially in terms of playing regular football, with his preferred right-sided role filled by Salah, who is one of the most indispensable players at the club and has been a regular over the years, scoring 186 Liverpool goals in 306 appearances.

If the Rennes star was happy to warm the substitutes' bench most weeks, possibly playing a role as an impact substitute looking to break through down the line, then a move that could work out – he could be viewed as a long-term starter – but the Reds' money could be spent on more pressing areas of the pitch, such as midfield.

Titans overcame an uninterrupted spell from offspinning allrounder Prenelan Subrayen, which read 15.4 -6-35-5, and a batting collapse to scramble to a two-wicket win in a small chase of 91 against Dolphins in Pietermaritzburg. The result handed Titans 17.96 points and lifted them to the top of the points table.Subrayen struck in his second over, having opener Aiden Markram caught behind for 5. Grant Mokoena, Dean Elgar, captain Henry Davids and Jonathan Vandiar all departed in a space of six overs to leave Titans reeling at 35 for 5 in 15.5 overs. Wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen followed his 195 in Titans’ first innings with 35 off 52 balls to briefly ease the nerves, before he was the seventh Titans batsman to be dismissed with the side 12 runs away from the target. Two overs later, Malusi Siboto became Subrayen’s fifth wicket, but Shaun von Berg and Junior Dala held on to complete a tense win.Klaasen stood out in Titans’ first innings too – scoring his seventh first-class hundred and nearly converting it into a double-hundred. He struck 23 fours and two sixes during his 195 off 353 balls. Von Berg pitched in with a half-century to help Titans to a 102-run first-innings lead after Dolphins, who had opted to bat, squandered a solid platform to be dismissed for 301 in the last over of the first day.The top three – Divan van Wyk, Senuran Muthusamy, Vaughn van Jaarsveld – all hit fifties, but 171 for 1, Dolphins crashed to 301 all out.In Dolphins’ second innings, it was the top order that collapsed. Davids accounted for the top three and when von Berg had Khaya Zondo lbw for a duck, Dolphins were 21 for 4 in 10.2 overs.Sibonelo Makhanya and Daryn Smit led the salvage job with a 94-run stand, but von Berg wrapped up the tail to finish with a match haul of six wickets. Dolphins were bowled out for 192 in 61.3 overs, setting Titans a target of 91.Von Berg then held his nerve with the bat – staying unbeaten on 1 along with Dala – to tip a thriller Titans’ way. Dolphins managed only 6.02 points and slipped from second to fourth.

Leeds United appear to be coming to the end of their protracted managerial search, with it looking as if the Elland Road outfit are set to snap up one-time Norwich City boss Daniel Farke over the coming days.

As per The Guardian, the 46-year-old is 'expected' to be named as the club's new permanent head coach and is line to take charge of training when the first-team squad returns on Monday, with the German having been out of work since leaving Borussia Monchengladbach at the end of last season.

Following what was a turbulent campaign in the dugout for the Whites during a frankly miserable 2022/23 campaign – which included the desperate late appointment of Sam Allardyce – the club's support can now look ahead to a brighter future under a man who twice guided the Canaries out of the Championship during his prior stint at Carrow Road.

If Farke is to repeat such heroics in Yorkshire, however, he will need to invest wisely in the summer transfer window in order to bolster the newly-relegated outfit, with strengthening the defence likely to be of particular concern after Leeds shipped 78 goals last term – the worst record in the top flight.

According to a recent report from The Athletic, one man who has seemingly been identified as a possible solution to those woes is Liverpool titan, Nat Phillips, with the 26-year-old valued at around £10m by his current side with two years left to run on his existing deal at Anfield.

The piece stated that Farke had previously been interested in signing the Englishman during his time at Norwich, with there a high chance that the prospective Leeds boss can finally get his man ahead of next season's promotion bid.

Would Nat Phillips be a good signing for Leeds?

There will likely be those who would be concerned at the prospect of signing a player who featured just five times in all competitions last season on Merseyside, although the 6 foot 3 ace has previously shown his class in recent years, having been hailed for his "insane" development by manager Jurgen Klopp.

The one-time Bolton Wanderers youth asset notably came to wider attention after featuring 20 times during the latter stages of the 2020/21 campaign due to an injury crisis that had hampered the Reds, with Klopp notably lauding the late bloomer as something of a "monster" in the air due to his physical prowess.

The towering colossus also starred while on loan at AFC Bournemouth back in 2021/22 as part of the Cherries' successful promotion charge, having kept eight clean sheets in just 17 league outings, while also winning 69% of his aerial duels.

While he may not be "easy on the eye" – as Klopp previously stated – Phillips is certainly a dominant force in the backline, with Farke potentially having the chance to form a destructive defensive partnership involving the Liverpool ace and January arrival, Max Wober.

The latter man was unable to help Leeds stave off the drop last season following his £11m switch from Red Bull Salzburg, although the 25-year-old did catch the eye after averaging 3.3 tackles and interceptions and 4.0 clearances per game from his 16 Premier League outings.

That is a similar record to what Phillips achieved during his stint at the Vitality Stadium – 2.3 tackles and interceptions and 4.1 clearances, as per Sofascore – showcasing that the left-foot, right-foot combination could well prove a stern test for any opposition strike force next season.

As such, snapping up the Bolton-born menace from Anfield could prove to be a first major masterstroke for Farke at Leeds.

Southampton fans will hope that the longer the transfer window goes on, the more chance there is of captain James Ward-Prowse remaining at the club for at least another season.

However, the more realistic prospect is that a Premier League team makes a bid that satisfies the Saints, who in turn will have to find a replacement – not just in terms of his quality in midfield, but also what he brings as a leader.

Are Southampton interested in signing Matt Grimes?

Grimes has been touted as a possible target for Southampton ever since Russell Martin was lined up to become the Saints' new manager. With Martin finally being appointed last week, those rumours have gathered momentum.

According to The Guardian, Martin is looking to bring Grimes to St Mary's as he is after a leader to guide the club out of the Championship at the first attempt.

Former England U21 international Grimes has two years left to run on his contract at the Liberty Stadium, where he earns £12.5k-per-week, according to Capology.

Is Matt Grimes a good replacement for Ward-Prowse?

Any player coming in for Ward-Prowse will have huge boots to fill, and there are certain aspects that simply cannot be replaced – one of those being the England international's set-piece prowess, with his 17 goals from free-kicks behind only David Beckham's 18 in Premier League history.

Grimes is more of a creator of goals than a goalscorer himself, setting up 0.16 goals per 90 minutes in the Championship last season, as per FBref. By comparison, Ward-Prowse set up 0.11 per 90 in the Premier League.

Ward-Prowse is also someone who likes to cross the ball into the box (6.43 per 90 minutes, compared to 1.41 for Grimes), whereas Grimes is someone who prefers to keep things ticking along (104.3 passes per 90 v 66.2 for Ward-Prowse).

There are plenty of similarities between the pair in terms of their playing styles, though, such as their goal-creating actions per 90 (0.24 for Ward-Prowse, 0.30 for Grimes), blocks (0.80 v 0.73) and even yellow cards received (0.16 v 0.18).

More than any of those metrics, though, it is Grimes' leadership qualities that make him a good fit to replace Ward-Prowse. The 27-year-old was named Swansea City captain in 2019, having finally established himself by that point following a series of loan moves early in his career.

Martin spent two years working with him, meaning he knows exactly what he will be getting should a deal go through.

"He is so important," said Martin in November 2021. "I think he's got the most passes in Britain and Europe, the most accurate passes, the most forward passes.

"He's just a brilliant leader. He's not a shouter, but when he talks, people listen. It's really important we do everything we can to keep him."

The irony of that last statement is that it may well be Martin who plucks Grimes from Swansea in a move that would very much kick-start his Southampton tenure.

Maybe then Southampton supporters will slowly come to terms with the prospect of losing Ward-Prowse.

وجه جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، جواو فيليكس، رسالة إلى جماهير أتلتيكو مدريد بعد مباراة الأمس في الدوري الإسباني.

ونجح فيليكس في المساهمة بفوز برشلونة يوم أمس، الأحد، بنتيجة 3-0 على ملعب “واندا متروبوليتانو” في العاصمة الإسبانية “مدريد”.

ولكن كانت هناك تصرفات من جماهير أتلتيكو مدريد تجاه اللاعب البرتغالي قبل انطلاق المباراة، حيث قاموا بإلقاء القمامة على اسم فيليكس الموجود في ممر النجوم خارج الملعب.

اقرأ أيضًا.. سبورت تنشر تقرير حكم مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد بشأن طرد تشافي

وتحدث فيليكس عن الأمر في تصريحات عبر شبكة “ESPN”، وقال: “جماهير أتلتيكو مدريد لا تعرف الأشياء التي حدثت لي هنا خلال الفترة التي كنت فيها”.

وأضاف: “الجماهير لا تعرف ما يحدث داخل غرف اللاعبين، أنا أتفهم غضبهم، لكن لا يجب أن ينظروا لي كما لو أنني الرجل السيء”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “حتى علاقتي مع جميع لاعبي أتلتيكو مدريد جيدة جدًا ولم تتأثر برحيلي”.

وانتقل فيليكس إلى صفوف برشلونة في الميركاتو الصيفي الماضي على سبيل الإعارة حتى نهاية الموسم، مع رغبة البرتغالي في الاستمرار لسنوات أخرى وعدم العودة إلى أتلتيكو مدريد.

While AB de Villiers graded the conditions at Seddon Park as a “0 out of 10” as far as Champions Trophy preparation goes, he gave the match itself full marks for demanding a fight from South Africa ahead of the major tournament

Firdose Moonda19-Feb-2017

While AB de Villiers graded the conditions at Seddon Park as a “0 out of 10” as far as Champions Trophy preparation goes, he gave the match itself full marks for demanding a fight from South Africa ahead of the major tournament. After cruising past Sri Lanka 5-0 at home, South Africa were looking for more of a challenge from New Zealand and that’s exactly what the got in a closely-fought, low-scoring game in Hamilton. And they managed to get home in what were “the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in”, according to de Villiers.”Experience-wise it was 10 out of 10 to be put under pressure like that with the bat in hand. Conditions-wise? Zero out of 10. I don’t think we’re going to face any conditions like that in the UK,” de Villiers said.Both sides were surprised by the amount of turn, although South Africa’s decision to play both specialist spinners suggest they were expecting things to be on the slower side. But Imran Tahir went wicketless and conceded a run a ball, and Tabraiz Shamsi’s sole scalp cost 39 runs. So there were few hints that Michael Santner, Ish Sodhi and then Tim Southee, who bowled what were essentially fast offcutters towards the end, would cause so much trouble.”I didn’t see the ball turn that much when we bowled,” de Villiers said. “Early on with the new ball it wasn’t so bad, but it’s easy to say that now. It would have sounded like an excuse if we’d lost.”After an 88-run opening stand between Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock, South Africa were well-set but they lost 5 for 39 in the middle period of the chase and an eerily familiar falter seemed in their future. Bar de Villiers, the big men were all dismissed and it was up to a 20-year-old Andile Phehlukwayo to hold his nerve and help his captain score 50 off the final seven overs. Even de Villiers himself wondered if the game was gone.”Not for a second were we in control,” de Villiers said. “Our two openers gave us a really good foundation, but I felt they were the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in.”De Villiers knew if he hung around until the end, South Africa would be in with a chance. “I decided to stay patient and take it as deep as we can and then maybe we’ll get close,” he said. But he also knew he would need some help. He had to trust Phehlukwayo; he would have known he could.The young allrounder partnered David Miler in giving South Africa a memorable win over Australia last October, showing maturity beyond his years. He has also showed an ability to hit hard – and took sixes off both Trent Boult and Tim Southee as proof – and although he rarely gets the opportunity to finish games, South Africa now know that he can. “He was hitting it pretty sweet. It was very impressive the way Andile played. There is a lot of talent in that young man,” de Villiers said. “He was one of the very few guys tonight who could pick up the pace of the wicket and he played it under his eyes. I was very impressed with him.”As impressed, perhaps, as with the form the side is currently in. South Africa have equalled their best winning streak with a 12th victory in succession and are building up steam ahead of the Champions Trophy. Even though they insist the numbers don’t mean too much, there’s no doubt it’s still a nice thing to have achieved. “We don’t play for those kind of records but it’s a nice one to have. We are very aware of it. We are only human and will lose one. That’s the nature of the beast. So we’ll go to Christchurch, hopefully play a good game and make it another one,” de Villiers said. “That was a great win for us. But there’s lots of games left in the series and we know it’s nowhere near done.”

Leeds United have been craving someone to replace Raphinha ever since his departure last summer. His exit was an expected one, as the Brazilian had offered all he could to the club that he had admittedly outgrown.

His future was destined to be at a much better and brighter side, and having won La Liga in his first year in Barcelona, this has been proven correct. Meanwhile, the Whites fell to relegation from the Premier League.

In an effort to finally recapture that true maverick, who can be a match-winner all on their own, now the 49ers must search for such an asset within their new level.

The Championship boasts plenty of untapped talent just waiting to be unleashed, but in Joel Piroe, many throughout this division will already know his name.

Standing at 6 foot 1 but retaining blistering speed and skill, the Dutchman terrorised defences for fun last term.

If the rumours are true, he could be set to repeat this feat again next season, but in Elland Road rather than Wales.

Is Joel Piroe similar to Raphinha?

Having come up through the academy at PSV Eindhoven, Swansea City secured a huge coup when they tempted him to join them back in 2021.

Ever since that switch, he has proven himself to be a more than dependable source of goals and assists in the Championship, recording 19 strikes last term, following the 28 goal contributions he had posted the season before even that.

Despite naturally being a centre forward, he has been deployed from the right wing too, enabling him to cut into his deadly left foot with devastating effect. Such blistering form in front of goal even led his former manager Russell Martin, who has since departed for Southampton, to brand him "clinical".

Their former Brazilian trickster was also a star down that flank, scoring 11 league goals as the Yorkshire outfit narrowly avoided the drop before his departure. He could beat a man, create and, quite clearly, score with ease.

Although Piroe might represent a far more physical alternative to the 26-year-old, his ability to win matches on his own makes him even more similar than could be imagined. Not to mention that he also maintained 0.8 key passes per game (sixth-best at Swansea) and an 83% pass accuracy last season too in the league, suggesting he is far more than just a classic brutish number nine.

Should Daniel Farke, who is the frontrunner for Leeds' vacancy, opt to keep Patrick Bamford as his striker for next season or even subscribe to the links for Viktor Gyokeres, this £12k-per-week 23-year-old could still thrive should he join even if his favoured position is occupied.

This versatility, plus his ability to do the spectacular, only emphasises the dynamic that the 49ers could recapture in acquiring Piroe.

Harry Kane's family dream of him winning trophies at Tottenham Hotspur as the north London club intend to keep the player despite heavy transfer interest, David Ornstein has revealed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane?

The England striker was in sensational form for Spurs last season, scoring 30 league goals despite the team performing poorly and finishing eighth, and with just one year left on his contract, he has been linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United.

However, Spurs have no intention to sell their star player, particularly to a rival, and it seems that they will resist any offers for the 29-year-old this summer.

Speaking on the FIVE YouTube channel, Ornstein claimed that Daniel Levy is highly unlikely to sanction a sale for Kane this summer.

"As far as I know, Harry Kane is not for sale is Tottenham's perspective, to anywhere, not to the Premier League and a rival and Daniel Levy wouldn't want to sell unless perhaps the fee got absolutely monstrous, and we've got no evidence that that's likely to happen," he stated.

"He would like to sign Harry Kane to a new contract and then Ange Postecoglou will get a good thing going on at Spurs, they would start moving in the right direction, being competitive next season.

"We've seen other clubs who have become competitive quite quickly, and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Harry Kane sees a Tottenham that he wants to stay at in the course of next season.

"He's a boyhood fan, his family are, their dream is really to win with Tottenham, but clearly that hasn't materialised so far."

Should Spurs sell Kane?

New manager Postecoglou has a big job on his hands, as he is taking over a Spurs squad in need of serious repair, and having failed to qualify for European football, finances may be limited at Spurs this summer.

They have already deemed a main target in David Raya as too expensive, and Postecoglou's ability to bring in his own targets may be jeopardised unless a major sale is made.

Unless there is indication that the £200k-per-week star would sign a new deal this summer, keeping him beyond the transfer window could be delaying his potential departure, and Spurs could cash in this summer in order to help fund a major rebuild of the side.

Kane, who has been described as "exceptional" by Pep Guardiola, knows that if he waits until he is a free agent next year, that he could have his pick of clubs to move to, so choosing to remain at Spurs despite their struggles would be an unsurprising decision.