The last time Anil Kumble was part of an India camp was at his home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, in 2008. Two men were under immense pressure to keep their places in the side: Captain Kumble and former captain Sourav Ganguly. Just before the series both had struggled in Sri Lanka: Ganguly had scored 96 runs in six innings, and Kumble had taken eight wickets for 400 runs in three Tests. Just before the home series against Australia, Kumble answered in the negative when asked about retirements. A few days later, Ganguly announced this series was to be his last, and an injured Kumble ended his career even before Ganguly.Eight years later, Kumble and Ganguly have emerged as an unlikely duo shepherding the Indian team from the management perspective. Unlike Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, Ganguly has turned out to be pretty hands-on as a state association president and a member of the cricket advisory committee. Kumble, too, has had a stint as a state association president, actually winning an election, willing to put his reputation on the line by entering the contest. Now Ganguly is believed to have played a key role in getting Kumble as the coach of Indian team.Sitting in the same spot that Ganguly had been in when he uttered words that still resonate – “just one last thing lads, before I leave, I just want to say that this is going to be my last series,” Kumble was asked for his opinion on the way Shastri had been overlooked. Shastri had alleged Ganguly was not even present to interview him when he made his presentation. The underlying suggestion being that the decision had already been made before the interview process.Kumble was a relentless bowler, always at the batsman, but here he did a good impression of leaving this swinging ball alone outside off. “I was the first one to call Ravi after I was chosen as head coach,” Kumble said. “He did a wonderful job with the Indian team. It is not about Anil or Ravi, it is not about the head coach. It is about the players, it is about the team. And from my point of view, whether it is me or Ravi or any Indian, we all want the Indian team to do well. We all want the Indian team to perform at its best. We all believe that there is potential for the Indian team to be the best in all three formats.”And If I’m part of the journey, that’s all I have to say. He congratulated me. I told him it’s a fantastic team, a young team that we have. It could be someone else tomorrow [in place of me]. I’m not permanent in this role. I have an opportunity to make a difference. I have an opportunity to be part of the journey and if I can be part of the journey where we see Indian cricket rise to where we all want it to be, then I think it’s wonderful. I feel privileged, like I already mentioned. And an honour again to be a part of the team.”Kumble was more comfortable and open talking about his own role. At the outset he repeated that he and his support staff were going to be in the background, that his legendary status as a cricketer himself was not going to overpower his team. About his preferred support staff – Sanjay Bangar and Abhay Sharma as batting and fielding coach are temporary appointments for the upcoming West Indies tour – Kumble didn’t reveal much except that he was keen to work with the bowlers himself. A fast-bowling coach couldn’t be ruled out, though.”At this point in time, I thought I can get close to the bowlers, for a start,” Kumble said. “Yes, we are considering options, I don’t want to say what because this is my first trip as coach with the team and I’d like to observe and try and see how the team is shaping up. At this point in time, I thought that with the bowlers, it is the strategy that I can certainly play a part of and that’s something which I am looking at, trying to get closer to the bowlers, understanding what their needs are and then looking at probably bringing in, if you are looking at a fast bowling coach I think is what you are trying to say. There are considerations that I am thinking of but at this point, I don’t know if it will be possible to take someone to the West Indies. If that doesn’t happen, then certainly I am keen to look at the bowlers. I feel that that is certainly an area where I can contribute a lot more.”Kumble was asked what he, as a player, used to look for in a coach. The answer to this was the most definitive in his 20-minute press conference. “As a coach, all I sought was organised preparations for the team and informed inputs to the captain and the team to strategise better. Inclusive of every player. You have to include every player. It’s not about just the 11 who are to play. Also abut the six or seven who are not going to play.”That’s something I sought as a player because it was not always that I played in every team that played for India during my time. I was dropped, I was not chosen for tours. So I understand [what it means to] be the most important member in the team to being dropped. I understand all of that, I understand that communication at such times is very critical. For the coach to pick up the phone and send the message, ‘Don’t worry you are still part of the team.’ That’s what I will look to do. Hopefully I will be able to succeed in telling people who are part of the system that they will always be part of it.”Kumble had earlier remarked it felt a little odd being interviewed by three of his long-time team-mates. Having stepped into the team atmosphere, though, Kumble doesn’t feel odd at all. “Obviously you know the roles and boundaries as a coach,” Kumble said. “Other than that it’s no different. All of us want Indian cricket to be doing really well, and these are exciting times. I feel privileged to be a part of that journey, and in whatever way I can help Indian cricket achieve that. It was no different walking into a meeting room with the entire team, although the faces were different. I’ve played with some of them; I’ve mentored a couple of them in various capacities. To be back in the changing room is always special.”

Newcastle United are plotting a move for Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville, and are ready to make a move in the summer if Leeds United are relegated, according to a report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Newcastle's need to bring in a new winger may be exacerbated by the recent news that Allan Saint-Maximin is planning to leave the club this summer, having grown concerned he will not receive a great deal of game time next season.

Not only are the Magpies looking to strengthen out wide, but they are running the rule over potential central midfield options, with Blackburn Rovers' Adam Wharton recently being linked, as well as Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

Despite boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League, Eddie Howe is also looking at new centre-backs, and a personal offer has recently been tabled to Torino defender Perr Schuurs, although he is not currently convinced by the move.

According to a report from Football Insider, Newcastle are ready to make a move for Summerville, should Leeds be relegated from the Premier League this season, having been impressed by his performances for the Whites this season.

Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are also admirers of the winger, with several unnamed top sides said to be ready to launch bids this summer, so Leeds will find it difficult to hold on to him if they finish in the bottom three.

Should Newcastle sign Crysencio Summerville?

The Rotterdam-born winger has enjoyed a real breakthrough season with Leeds, although his attacking contributions have dried up in recent weeks, having recorded just one assist in his last 12 Premier League matches.

Earlier on in the campaign, the 21-year-old was particularly impressive in his side's shock 2-1 victory against Liverpool at Anfield, scoring a late winner and winning six duels, the joint-highest amount of any Leeds player.

Given his age, the £15k-per-week starlet has plenty of time to develop his game further, and his form earlier on in the campaign indicates he could go on to be a solid Premier League player, scoring in four games on the spin.

However, despite being hailed "really exciting" by members of the media, Summerville is unlikely to be a signing that will take Newcastle to the next level, and they should instead focus on signing James Maddison, having recently been linked with a move for the man with 15 goal contributions this season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing a striker from the Championship this summer.

Julen Lopetegui is set to “overhaul” his strike force, as per Sky Sports, in the bid to improve on this season’s woeful lack of goals.

Wolves are the Premier League’s lowest scorers this campaign, having found the net just 30 times in 36 games, 62 fewer than league leaders Manchester City.

With the future of Raul Jimenez in doubt, Lopetegui will have the chance to rebuild his front line with the hope to get his side firing again.

The club have been linked with a number of forwards ahead of the window, including Coventry City marksman Viktor Gyokeres and Barcelona’s Ansu Fati. However, there should be another option in the frame if Wolves are smart about things; Chuba Akpom.

What’s the latest on Chuba Akpom's future?

As per Sky Sports, Middlesbrough striker Akpom is a player “on the radar” of Premier League clubs this summer.

The former Arsenal forward’s contract expires next summer, as Boro extended his stay to an additional 12 months at the start of this season.

Wolves are currently 'leading the race' to sign fellow Championship forward Gyokeres, via the same report.

However, if a deal can't be concluded there then Akpom simply has to become an option for Lopetegui as he bids to steal him away from other top-flight sides.

What could Chuba Akpom bring to Wolves?

The 27-year-old Boro forward scored 28 goals in 40 appearances in the Championship this season, making him the top scorer just ahead of Gyokeres who registered 21 in eight more games.

Hailed as “incredible” by journalist Chris Wheatley after netting his 19th goal, the London-born striker was integral to getting Michael Carrick’s side to the play-off semi-finals.

Despite falling at the final hurdle to Coventry City, the campaign has been an unforgettable one personally for the Englishman, being named in WhoScored’s Championship team of the season – as per Sky Sports.

Boro’s near miss in the play-off semis has sparked rumours as to whether the forward will remain in the second-tier next term.

Wolves have been crying out for a goalscorer this campaign, and Akpom could be the missing piece to getting Lopetegui’s side firing in the Premier League.

By sealing aa deal, the former Real Madrid coach could sign his answer to the top-flight's most feared strikers, with Spurs star Harry Kane perhaps being the pick of the bunch considering he also learnt his trade for a while in the Football League.

The 27-year-old is actually averaging more goals per 90 than the impeccable Spurs talisman, with 0.7 per 90 minutes – as per FBref.

Although not boasting the assist count (2) of someone like Kane, Akpom's ability to drop deeper and play as an attacking midfielder shows there are further similarities. The former does that with great regularity in north London, having since become a “complete player”, as lauded by Zinedine Zidane.

Solving the lack of goals is the primary requirement for Lopetegui to tackle however natural goal-scorers are hard to find, and in the Boro star the Midlands club could retrieve a talent at the peak of his career and hungry for a breakthrough.

Only time will tell if Wolves will make a move for the 27-year-old, however with 28 goals this term, there’s no denying the club could land a much-needed talisman.

Jack Leaning and Alex Lees led Yorkshire into the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast with a 14-run win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road but the hosts did enough to earn a home tie in the last eight

ECB Reporters Network29-Jul-2016
ScorecardJack Leaning provided impetus for Yorkshire win•Getty Images

Jack Leaning and Alex Lees led Yorkshire into the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast with a 14-run win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road but the hosts did enough to earn a home tie in the last eight.Leaning and Lees shared a century stand in just 8.3 overs as Yorkshire accelerated well to post 177 for 5. Northants were always behind in the chase but Alex Wakely’s career-best 64 in 42 balls steered his side past the 159 they needed to ensure their quarter-final will be back at Wantage Road.Chasing 178 to win and the potential to top the north group, Northants were quickly in trouble with David Willey striking first ball to remove Josh Cobb lbw. Adam Rossington then chunked a pull to mid-on as Tim Bresnan bowled a wicket maiden fourth over of the innings.But the form that Ben Duckett possess defies any conditions and he made his way beautifully to 41 from 25 balls chiefly with a lofted drive over extra-cover off Liam Plunkett and three sweeps – reverse and conventional – in an over from Azeem Rafiq. But Rafiq had the last laugh as Duckett top-edged the final ball of the Powerplay to short third man.Consolidation was necessary and Alex Wakely steadied with Rob Keogh – who made 28 from 24 balls – before pulling Plunkett over midwicket for six and driving four over mid-off. Another pull off Will Rhodes brought six more. Fifty was raised in 28 balls and a fifth six – hoisted over long-on – secured a home quarter-final.Yorkshire joined them in the last eight thanks to Leaning’s outstanding innings that resurrected the Yorkshire innings. He chanced his arm in Graeme White’s third over after the first two conceded only seven runs and claimed the wicket of Travis Head. Leaning skipped down the wicket to lift a six over long-on, a slog sweep cleared midwicket and Lees joined in with a straight-lofted drive for four.That 13th over was taken for 20 runs and sparked a stuttering innings into life. Rory Kleinveldt missed a yorker and was slapped into the bar behind midwicket – two more heaves followed as Kleinveldt’s final over went for 18.Leaning brought up a 22-ball fifty – scoring that was in stark contrast to that which had preceded him. His captain Alex Lees remained circumspect but also raised fifty – his first of the competition – in 45 balls.Their stand for the fourth wicket added exactly 100 in just 8.3 overs and from 66 for 3 after 11 overs, Yorkshire powered another 111 in the final nine.

Glenn Maxwell has been named in Australia A’s squad for the quadrangular series involving the National Performance Squad, and A teams from India and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2016Glenn Maxwell has been named in Australia A’s squad of 15 for the upcoming Quadrangular series involving the National Performance Squad (NPS), and A teams from India and South Africa, in Townsville and Mackay later this month .Australia A squad

Squad: Chris Lynn (capt), Peter Handscomb, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Jake Lehmann, Glenn Maxwell, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall

Maxwell was left out of the national squad for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, having averaged 11.80 in six innings in Australia’s last 10 ODIs. He made 0 and 38 in Australia A’s 197-run win over South Africa A in a four-day fixture in Brisbane that concluded on Tuesday.Seven members of the A squad, led by Chris Lynn, have been a part of Australia’s national squad. Peter Handscomb, the Victoria batsman who will captain in the four-day fixtures, has been named vice-captain.”Although we have selected a squad with an eye towards the future, we have also rewarded the most recent domestic cricket performers, and this is a perfect opportunity to showcase their talents against international opposition,” Rod Marsh, the national selection panel chief, said.”Chris has shown in his time with Queensland and the Brisbane Heat that he can lead a team whilst also putting in high-quality performances with the bat and in the field. Peter led wonderfully in Australia A’s victory over South Africa A at Allan Border Field in the longer format and will benefit from having a leadership role in the one-day matches. He shapes as one of this country’s best up-and-coming leaders on the field.”South Australia’s Alex Ross and Kane Richardson, along with Cameron Boyce, Mitchell Swepson and Matthew Renshaw, are all part of the National Performance Squad.NPS open their campaign against South Africa A on August 13 in Townville, while Australia A play India A the following day. Each team plays the other twice, leading up to a third-place playoff and the final on September 3 and 4 respectively.

Glasgow Rangers will end the campaign trophyless for the first time since 2020, and this will turn the summer transfer window into arguably the most important one since the Ibrox side were promoted back to the Premiership in 2016.

Michael Beale has a tough job on his hands and there will likely be some players moving on from the Gers, with Antonio Colak potentially one of them.

The Croatian striker has enjoyed a decent debut season at the club, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, yet he has struggled during the second half of 2022/23, starting just five matches under Beale. According to The Scottish Sun, the club could listen to offers for the Croatian hitman during the summer transfer window in a bid to move him on having rejected approaches from German and MLS outfits in January.

Beale obviously has his own targets in mind, and gaining a fee for Colak will allow him to fund these transfers. However, who could potentially come in and replace the 29-year-old ahead of next season?

Could Rangers sign Viktor Gyokeres from Coventry this summer?

Football Insider has claimed that the Light Blues are keen on signing Viktor Gyokeres from English Championship outfit Coventry City during the summer. However, they value the Swede at £20m, which could prove to be out of their price range.

Much will depend on whether the Sky Blues can achieve promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, as if they lose to Luton Town, Beale may have a slightly better chance of securing a deal for the striker.

His goalscoring threat would certainly make him an instant hit at Ibrox. Across 49 matches this term, he has scored 22 goals and grabbed a further 11 assists, which is higher than any Rangers player, with James Tavernier registering 27 goal contributions – suggesting that Gyokeres would be a worthwhile addition to the first team if he could replicate his form in Scotland.

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray lavished praise upon the player, even comparing him to Erling Haaland, saying: "He looks a yard more powerful and a yard quicker than everyone else, he’s a really confident boy.

"The way he buys himself space to shoot is pretty impressive and Coventry did well to hold onto him, he looks a really talented boy.

"Who is too fast, too strong and too big – you would suggest Haaland is like that and Gyokeres in this league looks a yard faster and stronger than the players he plays against in the Championship."

It appears as if the £4.5k-per-week machine needs to make the step up to the next level, and joining Rangers, where he would play Champions League football, could well be an ideal move for him.

Beale will be keeping an eye on the play-off final next week, that’s for sure.

West Indies coach Phil Simmons has been sacked due to “differences in culture and strategic approach”, the WICB has confirmed

Colin Benjamin and Nagraj Gollapudi13-Sep-20161:04

Simmons sacked as West Indies coach

West Indies coach Phil Simmons has been sacked due to “differences in culture and strategic approach”, the WICB has confirmed.Simmons, who moved into the role after the 2015 World Cup following a spell with Ireland, was informed about the termination of his contract on Tuesday by WICB chief executive Michael Muirhead shortly before the West Indies T20 squad was due to fly to the UAE to play Pakistan. The sacking came just six months after West Indies had won the World T20 in India.

Sammy’s reaction on Facebook

“If the blind leads the blind they are bound to fall in a pit,” former West Indies captain Darren Sammy said. He also called the WICB’s recent symposium of players and administrators in Florida a “publicity stunt”.
“So after the publicity stunt in Fort Lauderdale the first so call plan to move West Indies Cricket forward is to fire the coach just two days before a tour… just prove to me what I already knew. If the blind leads the blind they are bound to fall in a pit.”

For the Pakistan series, the WICB said the team would be under the supervision of former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner, who is the team manager. He will work alongside the pair of assistant coaches Henderson Springer and Roddy Estwick.Despite the sudden nature of the announcement, the WICB said the decision to drop Simmons was taken at the board of directors meeting last weekend. The board confirmed the news of Simmons’ departure shortly after it was revealed by ESPNcricinfo.As for the reason behind the sacking, the WICB statement did not go into specifics. “In recent times, based on the public pronouncements of the coach and the approach internally, we have identified differences in culture and strategic approach. The WICB would therefore like to thank the coach for his contribution and wishes him the best in his future endeavours.”The lack of common ground between the parties had been clear for some time. Simmons’ journey as West Indies coach was never smooth once he made his thoughts public soon after not being allowed to pick what he felt was the best squad for the ODI series in Sri Lanka last year. Consequently the WICB suspended him before allowing him back to his role once both parties resolved to sort out matters amicably.In September last year, when the issue of selection reared its head again, Simmons had said: “The disappointing fact is that you can lose 3-2 in a vote-off but there is too much interference from outside in the selection of the ODI squad and it’s disappointing for me to know that in any aspect of life … [people would use] their position to get people into a squad; or in this case, get people left out of a squad. It is wrong and I don’t like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team.”His reinstatement, the WICB said, was “conditioned upon” two criteria: “issuance to him of a letter of reprimand for his inappropriate public comments”, and his “making a public apology to the WICB and persons whom he may have offended.”The recent home Test series against India finished in a 2-0 defeat and under Simmons, West Indies won only one of 14 Tests, though that win was enough to draw a series against England last year. They showed glimpses of promise against India but ultimately fell to two heavy defeats – three of the nine losses while Simmons was coach were by an innings, two more by nine wickets, and two by more than 150 runs.It was suggested that former West Indies captain and current Kent coach Jimmy Adams was the replacement the WICB wanted, but sources close to Adams told ESPNcricinfo he was not interested.In less than six months since West Indies won their second World T20 title, the WICB has parted ways with three influential members of the team management, with Simmons following the pair of former captain Darren Sammy and bowling consultant Curtly Ambrose.Immediately after the World T20, the WICB relieved Ambrose from his role, which caught him by surprise. Then ahead of the two T20Is against India in Florida, the new selection panel led by Courtney Browne decided to remove Sammy as captain and replace him with Carlos Brathwaite.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada became the first player to scoop six awards at CSA’s annual dinner, including the coveted South African cricketer of the year prize, surpassing AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, who had previously won five each. Not only is Rabada the only player to notch up that many awards, but he is also the youngest to win the main prize. The only major award Rabada did not win was the T20 cricketer of the year, which went to legspinner Imran Tahir.

Award winners

• Cricketer of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• Test cricketer of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• ODI cricketer of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• T20 Player of the year: Imran Tahir

• Players’ Player of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• Fans Player of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• T20 delivery of the year: Kagiso Rabada

• International newcomer of the year: Stephen Cook

• Women’s cricketer of the year: Dane van Niekerk

• First-class cricketer of the season: Heino Kuhn

• One-day cup cricketer of the season: Alviro Petersen

• Twenty-over player of the season: Albie Morkel

• Domestic players’ player of the season: Heino Kuhn

• Domestic newcomer of the year: Nicky van den Burgh

• Africa T20 Cup player of the year: Lungi Ngidi

• Coach of the year: Rob Walter

• CSA Fair Play award: Cobras

• SACA MVP: Dwaine Pretorius

In his first full international season, the 2015-16 summer, which was a largely underwhelming period for South Africa’s men’s team, Rabada racked up the second-best match figures by a South African in Test and ODI cricket. His 13 for 144 against England at Centurion in January has only been bettered by Makhaya Ntini, who took 13 for 132 in Port of Spain in 2005, while Rabada’s 6 for 16 on ODI debut against Bangladesh in July last year, a performance which also included a hat-trick, was only surpassed by Imran Tahir, who took 7 for 45 against West Indies in June 2015.That Rabada managed all of this in a time when South Africa were also without two of their experienced seamers – Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander were both injured for large parts of the previous summer – only added to Rabada’s achievement. “With injuries to our main fast bowlers during this past year, he has had to step up and lead the attack. How brilliantly has he done that,” Haroon Lorgat, CSA CEO said.Rabada’s performance also earned the players’ and fans choice awards. He shared speckles of the limelight with Tahir, whose 16 T20 wickets this year put him on top of the South African pile in the format, and batsman Stephen Cook. Despite only playing one international in the 2015-16 season, a Test against England, Cook won the international newcomer of the year award for his century on debut in the only Test South Africa won in the season.”This may not have been the best year for the Proteas in a team sense but there have been some great individual performances, especially from newcomers to the side,” Lograt said. “Temba Bavuma and Stephen Cook, who are other award winners this evening plus Quinton de Kock have all recorded their maiden Test centuries.”Bavuma won a sponsor award for his performance but de Kock went empty-handed, despite being the leading run-scorer in the domestic twenty-over competition. Albie Morkel, who led Titans to victory in that competition, was named T20 player of the year. Titans also had two other winners. Heino Kuhn, who became the sixth South African to score more than 1,000 runs in a first-class season, won the first-class award and outgoing coach Rob Walter, who will take over at Otago Volts, from September, was named coach of the year.The only trophy Titans did not win last season was the one-day cup, which Lions claimed. The leading run-scorer in that campaign Alviro Petersen was awarded in that category.

GOAL brings you all this season's leading marksmen from England's top division – who will come out on top?

The race is once again on for a coveted Premier League Golden Boot, with established superstars being joined by big-money summer signings in a battle to be crowned the English top-flight's leading goal scorer.

Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez, fresh from moves to Manchester City and Liverpool respectively, are among those to have added their particular skill sets to a collection of world-class forwards that already includes the likes of Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Anfield talisman Mohamed Salah.

With nets set to bulge on a regular basis throughout the 2022-23 campaign, GOAL is on hand to monitor the exploits of the most prolific marksmen around.

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  1Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 36 goals

  A move to England for Erling Haaland always felt like being a matter of time, and Manchester City won that particular transfer lottery in 2022. The prolific Norwegian could be the bargain of the season at £51 million, with his track record suggesting that he will have rival defenders running scared.

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  2Harry Kane | Tottenham | 30 goals

  A man that already has three Golden Boots to his name, Tottenham frontman Harry Kane certainly knows his way to the back of the net. The England captain has a World Cup to think about this season, but he will not allow anything to distract him from the pursuit of more goals at club level.

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  3Ivan Toney | Brentford | 20 goals

  Having hit 33 goals when helping Brentford to promotion into the Premier League, Ivan Toney backed that return up with 14 efforts last season. The powerful Bees striker is a handful for any defender in the air and on the deck, while he is also more than useful at penalties.

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  4Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 19 goals

  Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah secured himself a third Golden Boot last season – a second that has been shared with others – and more of the same is expected from him this term. With a new contract under his belt, the Egyptian forward appears set to remain the King of Anfield.

Tottenham Hotspur are targeting Feyenoord's star striker Santiago Gimenez, according to reports.

Who could join Spurs this summer?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy currently has many plates spinning in north London, not least his desire to secure a permanent replacement for Antonio Conte and new sporting director.

Headway has been made behind-the-scenes, according to reports, with there being suggestions that Slot is firmly in pole position for the Tottenham hot seat.

Spurs have also been tipped with interest in former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim, Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi and Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou (Evening Standard).

However, Slot is believed to be out in front, and his appointment could even happen within the week if all goes to plan, at least according to Football Insider.

Tottenham have even earmarked potential signings for the Slot era, with links surrounding Feyenoord playmaker and Turkey international Orkun Kokcu.

Alongside the 22-year-old, it is now reported that Spurs are targeting Feyenoord's Gimenez as well, with 90min sharing some news.

As per their information, Tottenham have joined the growing list of sides interested in signing the Mexican, with Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Leicester City also in the mix.

Gimenez has apparently caught the eye of Spurs chiefs alongside both Slot and Korkcu as they eye a Feyenoord raid, despite their general manager previously insisting the forward is not for sale.

Who is Santiago Gimenez?

The 22-year-old stands out as one of Feyenoord's key players – contributing with crucial goals on their way to securing this season's Eredivisie title.

Gimenez stands out as their top goalscorer with 15 in the Dutch top flight, registering a further two assists and averaging their joint-highest rate of attempts at goal per 90 alongside Kokcu (WhoScored).

ESPN podcast host Herculez Gomez even claimed he could go on to break the record for goals in a single European season from a Mexican player, calling Gimenez the "real deal".

Former Liverpool star Dirk Kuyt has also praised the star attacker for his pace and finishing.

“He’s back here in the middle of the defenders and he’s really fast, said Kuyt (via Get Belgian and Dutch Football News and One Football)"Watching the keeper before he shoots, the rest. In my opinion, he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

High praise from a former Premier League star, it will be interesting to see if Spurs follow up on their interest in the North American.