Manchester United's search for a David De Gea replacement has led them to Thibaut Courtois, with the Glazers now launching a bid for the Real Madrid superstar according to reports in Spain, via Football 365.

Are Manchester United signing Thibaut Courtois?

The shot-stopper currently plays for Real Madrid and has spent five seasons with the Spanish side, adding even more silverware to his collection since leaving Chelsea. Having won a Premier League title with the Blues, he has since won La Liga with Madrid and has also bagged himself a Champions League trophy.

In 2022/23, he was unable to help his side to claim the league title though, despite featuring in 31 top flight games and conceding only 29 goals.

His showings over the last year have also led to the keeper re-establishing himself as arguably one of the best in his position in Europe, if not the greatest. The Belgian's save percentage of 78.9% for example puts him in the top five percent in that category and his crosses stopped rate has him in the top nine percent too.

It shows that he not only keeps out opposition attempts at goal but can command his box with confidence under barrages of long balls and crosses, something De Gea often struggles with.

And these showings have now led to interest from Man United. According to reports from Spain via Football 365, Red Devils chiefs have a real interest in Courtois and have launched a huge 80 million Euro (£69m) bid to land the player over the summer.

The club are of course in the market for a new shot-stopper, with De Gea potentially out of the exit door at Old Trafford. Courtois has Premier League experience to boot and they are apparently offering him £17m (about £325k-p/w) a year to sign on the dotted line.

When does Courtois' contract expire?

The player's deal with Real Madrid is set to expire in 2026, so the Spanish side would likely be hoping to hold onto him for longer than this summer. If a bid as big as this one is indeed on the table though, that could perhaps tempt them into a deal.

If United do land Courtois, they would be getting themselves a shot-stopper who has been described as "top class" by football journalist Josh Bunting and has certainly proven that to be true.

The journalist also added that the performance in the Champions League final against Liverpool was "immense" from the Belgian – and if the Red Devils could add him to their squad then, they would have a much more solid option in goal and some extra bragging rights over their rivals to boot.

Mohammad Irfan has been banned from all forms of cricket for at least six months after he pleaded guilty to failing to report details of two approaches to corrupt the game

Umar Farooq29-Mar-2017

Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has been banned from all forms of cricket for a year after he pleaded guilty to failing to report details of two approaches to corrupt the game. He can return, however, after six months if he assists the PCB in their ongoing investigations into the PSL corruption scandal, and if he doesn’t breach the board’s anti-corruption code in that time. He has also been fined PKR 1 million. His ban is effective from the day he was provisionally suspended on March 14.A PCB press release said Irfan was found to be in breach of “failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.””I was approached twice and it was my mistake that I did not report it to PCB’s anti-corruption unit,” Irfan said at a press conference in Lahore. “I admit my mistake for not reporting. I ask the whole nation to forgive me if anyone is hurt by this mistake of mine.”The ban will come as a blow to Irfan as well as to Pakistan. Though he last played for Pakistan in an ODI last September and had been falling out of favour, he was recalled to the ODI squad in January for the series against Australia. He had to return home almost as soon as he arrived, however, following the death of his mother.Rumman Raees and Mohammad Sami took more wickets than him in the PSL this season, but after an uncertain start following his questioning in relation to the corruption investigation, Irfan looked to be bowling somewhere near his best. Instead, he will now have to hit restart after at least a six-month break, a period in which his only cricketing activity will be to deliver lectures under the PCB’s anti-corruption education programme.Irfan, along with Shahzaib Hasan and Zulfiqar Babar, was initially questioned by the PCB’s anti-corruption unit during the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League, but was allowed to continue playing in the tournament. Earlier this month, however, Irfan was provisionally suspended from all forms after he was summoned to appear before the anti-corruption committee.Shahzaib, provisionally suspended, is also facing charges of having breached the anti-corruption code of conduct and he has till the end of this week to respond. Meanwhile, Irfan’s Islamabad United team-mates Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif are already facing up to a three-man tribunal looking into more serious corruption charges laid against them.

The Norwegian ended his drought in emphatic fashion as the Premier League champions got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over the Seagulls

Erling Haaland describes himself as a "zombie" and you can never take your eye off him for long, as Brighton found out to their detriment in a 2-1 win for Manchester City on Saturday. The Norwegian had not scored in his last three outings and had had only one shot in his last two Premier League games, but he needed just a sniff of danger to make Brighton pay a heavy price, slamming the ball into the net from outside the area to double the lead.

City had taken an early lead with a one-touch strike from Julian Alvarez, after a breathtaking run from Jeremy Doku, who frightened the life out of Brighton every time he got on the ball. The Seagulls, however, rallied late in the game, and after Ansu Fati reduced the deficit, they started to scare City, with Kaoru Mitoma running Kyle Walker ragged.

Things got more precarious for Pep Guardiola's side when Manuel Akanji was sent off for a second booking, but there were only two minutes of added time left. City, therefore, survived to ensure they got back on track and back to the top of the Premier League table, at least for a short while.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Stefan Ortega (6/10):

  Such a surprise choice that he was not even on the initial team sheet. Had little to do but stayed aware and thwarted Mitoma with clever footwork. Before then, his kicking was a little suspect.

  Kyle Walker (5/10):

  Struggled against Mitoma for most of the afternoon, particularly in the build-up to Brighton's goal. Couldn't get forward.

  John Stones (7/10):

  Made his first start of the season and looked as assured as at his peak. Helped City boss the midfield for most of the game.

  Manuel Akanji (4/10):

  Struggled to get a grip on Brighton's counter and his sloppy clearance was gobbled up by Fati for the visitors' goal. Things got worse when he was sent off in added-time, meaning he will miss next week's derby at Manchester United.

  Josko Gvardiol (6/10):

  Getting more accustomed to City's play with each week.

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  Midfield

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Had a nice understanding going with Doku on the other flank. Dictated the play but not as influential as usual.

  Bernardo Silva (6/10):

  A crucial cog in City's passing machine.

  Rodri (7/10):

  Restored control and order to the midfield after three games out, all of which City lost. Is it any coincidence they won on his first game back?

  Jeremy Doku (8/10):

  In an electric mood and every time he got the ball, the crowd took notice and Brighton shuddered. Set up the opener and could have scored twice himself.

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  Attack

  Julian Alvarez (6/10):

  A classy one-touch finish to put City in front. Dropped deep a lot to try and create more. Should have done better when presented with an open goal, albeit 40 yards out.

  Erling Haaland (7/10):

  A crashing, no nonsense goal to end his three-game drought. Picked up the loose ball and only had one thing on his mind.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jack Grealish (6/10):

  Gave City some tactical discipline and some fight when he came on.

  Ruben Dias (6/10):

  Made a rare appearance on the bench, immediately brought on to tighten things up after City conceded.

  Nathan Ake (N/A):

  Came on in added time.

  Pep Guardiola (6/10):

  After talking up De Zerbi's qualities before the game, it was Guardiola's side who dominated most of the proceedings. However, he will be disappointed with how his side lost their grip on the game late on.

Peter Siddle has withdrawn from his Nottinghamshire contract for 2017 due to a persistent back injury

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2017Peter Siddle has withdrawn from his Nottinghamshire contract for 2017 due to a persistent back injury. Siddle, 32, has not played since the Hobart Test against South Africa in November, during which he suffered a recurrence of the back problem that had kept him out for much of the previous year.Notts have been linked with potentially signing Siddle’s Victoria team-mate and fellow Australia international James Pattinson, with Mick Newell, the club’s director of cricket, hopeful of “quickly securing a replacement”.Siddle, who played for Notts in 2014 and Lancashire the following season, had signed a two-year deal to return to Trent Bridge but was unable to appear in 2016 due to stress fractures in his back. He made a comeback at the start of the 2016-17 season with Victoria and won a Test recall against South Africa before being sidelined once again.”I guess the years of playing cricket, you always have little setbacks with injury and missing cricket at different stages,” Siddle said. “It makes it a little bit easier to take in when you get older. So, I’ve been able to stay pretty level.”I don’t think I’ve played this little cricket in an 18-month window since I was an 11-year-old kid and was just starting out. That’s the most frustrating thing, not playing the game that you love and your profession. But mentally I’m pretty good. I’m in a good place and I’ve got some good people around me who give me good support.”Notts have already signed another Australian, Dan Christian, for the NatWest Blast but the arrival of James Pattinson – whose older brother, Darren, played for the county between 2008 and 2012 – would be a significant coup. Pattinson has taken 70 wickets in 17 Tests but missed out on a call-up to Australia’s tour of India after Mitchell Starc was ruled out by injury, despite taking a five-wicket haul last week to help put Victoria in the Sheffield Shield final.Newell said: “I feel for Peter in particular because he’s had absolutely no luck in recent years when it comes to injuries. We certainly didn’t imagine, when we signed him on a two-year contract for 2016 and 2017, that he wouldn’t play a single game for us during that time. It’s disappointing because his competitive character and proven ability would have been a real asset for us.”We never stop monitoring the situation overseas. We’re always looking at who is available and who has the kind of quality we need, so we’re confident of quickly securing a replacement.”

A round-up of the Group B matches of the Vijay Hazare trophy held on February 26, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2017Prashant Chopra’s career-best List A score of 159 helped Himachal Pradesh thrash Delhi by 185 runs in Bhubaneshwar. Chopra, whose third List A century included 24 fours and three sixes, took HP to 339 for 8 before their bowlers, led by debutant spinner Dheeraj Kumar (5-24), bowled Delhi out for 154.Chopra had scored 159 of HP’s 233 before he was dismissed, putting up partnerships of 81 for the first wicket with Ankush Bains (21) and 115 for the third wicket with Paras Dogra (77 off 65). After Chopra fell in the 39th over, before HP scored 106 runs off the remaining 71 deliveries. While Navdeep Saini and Kulwant Khejroliya took three wickets each, all seven Delhi bowlers went in excess of six runs per over.Chasing 340, Delhi lost opener Gautam Gambhir (0) and captain Rishabh Pant (2) early. By the 14th over, they were struggling at 53 for 4 with Pankaj Jaiswal collecting three early wickets. A fifth-wicket partnership between opener Sarthak Ranjan (37) and Milind Kumar (29) took Delhi past the 100-run mark, but Dheeraj struck regularly to bowl out Delhi 185 runs short of HP’s total.Tamil Nadu completed a seven-wicket win in Cuttack after their bowlers dismissed Uttar Pradesh for 159. Half-centuries from Dinesh Karthik (56*) and Vijay Shankar (58*) took them past the target in the 28th over.UP’s innings was made up of two batting collapses sandwiched between a 59-run fifth wicket partnership between Sarfaraz Khan (31) and Rinku Singh (37) that took their team past the 100-run mark. They lost their first four wickets for 66 runs while the last five fell for 34 as they were bowled out inside 36 overs. While M Mohammed (2-34) troubled UP’s top order, Aswin Crist (2-38) and Rahil Shah (2-25) chipped in with crucial lower-order wickets.TN lost three early wickets in their chase, but an unbroken 101-run fourth-wicket partnership between Karthik and Shankar meant their team crossed the line with 22 overs to spare and complete their second win in as many days.Half-centuries from Ruturaj Gaikwad (79), Naushad Shaikh (57) and captain Kedar Jadhav (71) helped Maharashtra defeat Kerala by 122 runs in Cuttack. Defending 312, Maharashtra’s Pradeep Dadhe (4-33) and Shamshuzama Kazi (3-25) took regular wickets to bowl Kerala out for 189 in the 40th over.Kerala’s openers gave their team a strong start to the chase, but constant dismissals, including three top-order wickets from Dadhe, saw them collapse from 49 for no loss to 61 for 5 in the space of eight overs. Mohammed Azharuddeen (50) and Iqbal Abdulla (60) added 109 runs for the seventh wicket, but it was all in vain as Kazi ran through the lower-order to skittle Kerala out for 189.Earlier in the day, Maharashtra overcame an early wobble to post 311 in 50 overs. Gaikwad and Jadhav put together 104 runs for the third wicket, while a late surge from Shaikh, Shrikant Mundhe (31) and Kazi (27) ensured a strong finish to their innings. Jalaj Saxena took wickets in the latter half to finish with figures of 4 for 51 off nine overs.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly interested in the services of striker Lyndon Dykes.

Rangers transfer news – What's the latest on Lyndon Dykes

According to the Daily Mail, the Glasgow giants are interested in reuniting the Scotland forward with former boss Michael Beale north of the border.

The Teddy Bears' interest has come in the aftermath of his 'heroics' with the national side against Norway on Saturday.

The 27-year-old scored late on to level the game before providing the assist for Kenny McLean in their 2-1 win.

The performance has also led to interest from other clubs, with Burnley and Millwall now interested, the latter having already submitted a £2m offer in January.

Could Lyndon Dykes replicate Jermain Defoe's success at Rangers?

In recent years, Rangers have made a habit of poaching strikers from the Championship or lower-level Premier League clubs, with the most prominent example being Jermain Defoe, who joined from AFC Bournemouth in 2019.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man's time in Glasgow was a fruitful one.

In the 74 appearances he made for the club, he produced 42 goal involvements, 32 goals and ten assists.

He was also a key member of Steven Gerrard's team that won the Teddy Bears' first league title since they rejoined Scotland's top flight.

A player like Dykes could certainly replicate some of that success.

According to WhoScored, the Scot averaged an impressive rating of 6.8 across his 35 starts for Queens Park Rangers last season, scoring eight goals and laying another two on for his teammates.

He should have scored more as well, with FBref putting his expected goals for last season at 12.6, suggesting that he was getting into good goal-scoring positions more often but suffering from bad luck.

He has also proven his ability to find the back of the net in the Scottish Premiership from his season with Livingston in the 2019/20 season when he produced an excellent 19 goal involvements, 11 goals and eight assists.

It was during his stint with the Lions that he drew the attention and praise of Gerrard, who claimed:

"They've got a forward in-form in Lyndon Dykes who's having a real good season, who is capable of playing in the air or on the floor, he's quite dangerous."

The 6 foot 2 marksman has also received plaudits from another Gers legend, Alan Hutton, who, in the aftermath of the club missing out on the "focal point" in 2020, said:

"I think he'd have been a great addition for the Rangers squad, definitely. He's proven it on a high stage now."

That "high stage" Hutton is talking about is international football, a place Dykes has thrived.

The Australian-born forward has already scored nine times in 29 appearances for Scotland and started all three games during the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, including their draw with England.

If Beale and co can convince Dykes to make their journey back north, there is no doubt that he would be able to replicate some of the successes of the retired Defoe; arriving as a player that is already well-known amongst the coaching staff.

Everton narrowly avoided relegation down to the Championship on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign as they beat Bournemouth 1-0 in the Premier League last month.

The Toffees finished 17th in the table and two points above the relegation zone and Sean Dyche should be aiming for a more successful campaign next term.

This summer's transfer window could be key in being able to achieve that as it provides the head coach with an opportunity to add more options and quality to his squad.

One player who has been linked with a possible switch to Goodison Park is Manchester United defensive midfielder Scott McTominany, who could be available for a fee of at least £20m.

Would Scott McTominay be a good signing for Everton?

The Scotland international could be an excellent addition to Dyche's roster as the 26-year-old could be the dream heir to Idrissa Gana Gueye's position in the XI.

Everton snapped the Senegal international up from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and the number six enjoyed a solid season in the Premier League. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across 33 appearances and won 61% of his individual duels in the division.

However, the experienced battler turns 34 in September and is, therefore, not a long-term option for Dyche moving forward, and this means that the manager will need to start thinking about what life will look like after the Senegal veteran is unable to perform to a high level consistently.

This is where McTominay could come in and be the player to take over in that position in the mid-to-long term.

The Red Devils ace, who was once hailed as a "physical monster" by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, is a defensive-minded midfielder who has proven himself to be a solid option at Premier League level.

He only started ten games in the division in 2022/23 but was a regular starter the season prior, and showcased his ability to be a dependable enforcer in the middle of the park.

McTominay averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 across 28 starts in the league and won 55% of his duels to go along with 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match, which shows that the towering brute is capable of winning the ball back for his side on a regular basis whilst being strong in his physical battles.

Gueye made 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game in 2022/23 for Everton but they had 43% of the ball on average, compared to United's 53.8% and this suggests that the Senegalese powerhouse had more opportunities to cut out opposition attacks than the Red Devils gem.

Both players, however, have proven themselves capable of delivering consistently solid performances in the Premier League as defensive midfielders, and the 26-year-old dynamo, who is seven years younger than Gueye, could well be the dream long-term heir to that role in Dyche's team.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga and South Africa allrounder Chris Morris have been signed up as marquee players in the Caribbean Premier League, a day before the draft. The tournament is scheduled to run from August 1 to September 9.Williamson and Morris are set for their maiden CPL season, having been recruited by Barbados Tridents and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots respectively. Malinga will be part of the St. Lucia Stars (formerly St. Lucia Zouks) set-up in the upcoming season, having previously represented Guyana Amazon Warriors.Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, and Kumar Sangakkara, meanwhile, have been retained by Guyana, Trinbago Knight Riders, and Jamaica Tallawahs respectively. Chris Gayle, who led Tallawahs to the title in 2016, will now play for the Patriots, the side that finished bottom last season.England T20 specialist Tymal Mills and several Afghanistan players – including IPL-bound Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi – are among the big names in the CPL draft.Marquee CPL players in 2017: Martin Guptill (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Lasith Malinga (St. Lucia Stars), Brendon McCullum (Trinbago Knight Riders), Chris Morris (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Kumar Sangakkara (Jamaica Tallawahs), Kane Williamson (Barbados Tridents)

Lauren James netted a hat-trick and provided a sublime assist as Chelsea demolished Liverpool in WSL.

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• James bagged hat-trick in 5-1 win
• Also provided sublime cross for Beever-Jones' goal
• Youngest in WSL history to have four goal involvements

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England and Chelsea star had an afternoon to remember against Liverpool on Saturday. She opened the scoring inside 11 minutes after receiving a pass from Sophie Ingle on the left side before going past Gemma Bonner with a body feint inside the box and then slotting home into the net.

  In the 24th minute, James produced a brilliant assist as she found Aggie Beever-Jones inside the box with a pinpoint cross from the left flank to make it 2-1 to Chelsea. The Lionesses forward then scored a second as she arrowed in a shot into the corner of the net with her left foot before completing her hat-trick with a first-time finish from close range in the 64th minute.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was a tricky summer for James, with the Lionesses star having been left out of the starting XI for the World Cup final defeat to Spain, which undoubtedly would've hurt. She's come back to Chelsea with exactly the right attitude, however, and has scored four goals in the opening six matches of the WSL season to prove how vital she is to Emma Hayes' trophy-chasing Blues.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Hayes' team are scheduled to face Paris FC next in the Women's Champions League on November 23 before taking on Leicester City in the WSL three days later.

For the second time in three days, a batsman has been given out despite the bulk of his body having crossed the plane of the crease

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Apr-2017For the second time in three days, a batsman has been given out despite the bulk of his body having crossed the plane of the crease.Dinesh Chandimal did initially ground his bat behind the crease as he sauntered in to complete a second run, in the 26th over, but he briefly raised it again as his body passed the line. His feet, however, did not touch the ground before the bails were dislodged.Collecting a good throw from deep point, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim snapped the bails off and appealed – if without much conviction. The Bangladesh fielders had actually returned to their fielding positions while third umpire S Ravi reviewed the footage, but were ecstatic at having wangled an important wicket when the decision came through.It was only on Thursday that Evin Lewis was run out in similar circumstances in at T20 against Pakistan in the Port-of-Spain. On that occasion, however, a collision had seen Lewis lose grip of his bat, and had contributed to his inability to ground some part of his body.And the Chandimal run out was also the second such dismissal Bangladesh have effected this year, with Neil Wagner having been dismissed this way in a Test match in January. Wagner had also grounded his bat, then raised it before the stumps were broken.The run out rule is about to change, however. From October, a batsman who has grounded his bat behind the crease before the bails are broken, cannot be given out even if the bat is later raised (provided it is clear the batsman is not attempting another run). Neither Wagner or Chandimal would have been out under that rule.