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Fabrizio Romano has dropped a major update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur loanees Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian transfer insider and journalist revealed that Tottenham will make both the centre-back and the right-winger’s temporary stays at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium permanent moves, with Spurs set to pay around €80m (£67.5m) in order to complete both deals in the summer transfer window.

Romano went on to state that Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici view both players as a key part of Tottenham’s first-team plans moving forward, while it is also said that Antonio Conte is very happy with the performances of the Argentina and Sweden internationals in the current campaign.

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In his tweet, the journalist said: “Tottenham will sign both Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero on a permanent deal. Spurs will invest around €80m total fee for two players who are considered key part of the project for present and future. Antonio Conte is also very happy with Romero and Kulusevski.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive both Romero and Kulusevski have been since their respective moves to north London, the news that Spurs are set to land both players on permanent deals this summer is sure to have left the Tottenham Hotspur faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over Romero’s 22 Premier League appearances this season, the £60m-rated defender has been a rock in Conte’s back three, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 2.8 tackles, 3.3 clearances, 51.9 passes and winning 5.9 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

These returns have seen the £31k-per-week 24-year-old average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.15, ranking him as Spurs’ joint fourth-best performer in the English top flight.

Meanwhile, over Kulusevski’s 17 league outings, the £75.5m-rated forward has been a revelation in the Tottenham attack, scoring three goals, registering eight assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking 1.4 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per fixture.

These returns have seen the £110k-per-week 22-year-old average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as Conte’s sixth-best player in the Premier League.

As such, it is clear for all to see just how much of an impact both Romero and Kulusevski have had on the Spurs squad since their respective arrivals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, something which means the news that the duo will be staying on in north London beyond the end of the season is sure to delight the club’s supporters.

Furthermore, considering the pair are now worth a combined £135.5m in today’s market, Paratici’s negotiations that have presented Spurs the opportunity to complete a £67.5m deal to bring both players to the club now looks to have been something of a masterstroke by the Italian sporting director.

AND in other news: Paratici must brutally axe “laughable” £50m Spurs dud, he’s been “anonymous” for Conte

Australia coach says the team needs to get back to the business of winning

Alex Malcolm30-Aug-2021Justin Langer believes he will become a better coach following a multitude of frank one-on-one conversations with players to discuss issues with his style.Langer came under intense scrutiny a fortnight ago on returning from Australia’s disastrous T20I tour of Bangladesh with reports emerging of discontent among the playing group and staff.It forced Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley to issue a public statement of support before Hockley and CA Chairman Earl Eddings held an emergency zoom meeting with Australia’s Test captain Tim Paine, limited-overs captain Aaron Finch, and vice-captain Pat Cummins to discuss the issues.Langer then held a host of conversations with players while in hotel quarantine in Adelaide to discuss the specifics of the situation individually.Speaking publicly for the first time since leaving Bangladesh he told the newspaper that the talks had been worthwhile.Related

• No change in Langer's contract status despite T20 World Cup and Ashes glory

• Defeats, bubbles and absent players: how Australia threatened to unravel

• Khawaja: Langer will feel like players are 'stabbing him in the back'

• After week of stress, Australia might only have papered over the cracks

• Cricket Australia give backing to under pressure coach Justin Langer

“We all got a lot off our chests,” Langer said. “I think we are all in a better place now.”Langer also sought counsel from a number of coaching mentors and friends. “The situation at the moment is very tough, but I am confident that I will become a better coach from it,” he said.One of those who spoke to Langer on multiple occasions was long-time friend and captain Ricky Ponting who said that he was pragmatic in his advice to his long-time ally.”As I made really clear to Justin when you’re in that position in Australian sport, whether you’re a high-profile coach or a captain of a national team, if you’re not getting the results then you’ve got to expect the negativity,” Ponting told radio station .Langer has now turned his attention to the upcoming T20 World Cup and the Ashes, hoping that the team’s performances will speak for themselves.”When you win, everyone is happy and gets on with things but when you are losing, that is when the finger-pointing starts, and people look for excuses,” Langer said in the .”We have had a rough trot in recent times but we retained the Ashes only a little while ago and were ranked No.1 in Test and T20 cricket not that long ago. Get back to winning and you won’t hear about anything else.”The squad is due to depart for the UAE in early October although a number of players will travel ahead of them to rejoin the IPL next month. The preparation for those remaining in Australia remains uncertain with the start of the domestic season set to be disrupted by Covid-19.

Devine destroyed Thunder with her third WBBL century. Harmanpreet took 2 for 17 and made 35 not out in Renegades’ win against Sixers while Brown’s effort wasn’t enough for Strikers

Alex Malcolm24-Oct-2021Sophie Devine became just the second player in WBBL history to plunder three centuries while Alana King took career-best figures as Perth Scorchers thrashed Sydney Thunder by 81 runs in Launceston.Devine stole the show with devastating 101 from 60 balls including eight fours and six sixes. She shared an opening partnership of 173 with Beth Mooney, the second-highest stand in WBBL history and their second of more than 150, to put Thunder to the sword.Devine was slow out of the blocks crawling to 19 off 20 at one stage but then exploded with slog-sweep after slog-sweep over the rope. She reached 50 off 32 balls and was dropped at deep square leg by Lauren Smith on 69. She showed no mercy thereafter motoring to a century from 58 balls. Mooney was also dropped on 50 and then struck three fours in the 19th over before falling to Issy Wong for 65. Devine finally holed out at deep midwicket with four balls left in the innings.Thunder’s chase never threatened thanks to King. She ripped through the top order claiming four of the first six with some high-quality legspin to leave Thunder 6 for 62. Lisa Griffith also took 2 for 17 including the key wicket of Smriti Mandhana to start the rot. Phoebe Litchfield and Deepti Sharma were the only Thunder batters to pass 20.Player of the Match Harmanpreet Kaur has a light moment with her India team-mates Radha Yadav (L) and Jemimah Rodrigues (R)•Sarah Reed/Getty Images

A superb all-round display from Harmanpreet Kaur helped Melbourne Renegades destroy Sydney Sixers by seven wickets in Launceston.Harmanpreet took 2 for 17 including the prize scalps of Ashleigh Gardner and Alyssa Healy, before thumping 35 not out from 29 balls, including two massive back-to-back sixes to steer Renegades home with 18 balls to spare. Eve Jones made 38 in Renegades’ new opening partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues to break the back of the chase. Captain Sophie Molineux, who demoted herself down the batting order, also bowled beautifully taking 1 for 18 from her four overs, having Shafali Verma’s leading edge caught in the covers by Harmanpreet.After Sixers lost their top order inside 4.1 overs, Ellyse Perry made 50 not out from 51 balls and shared an 80-run stand with Nicole Bolton (38 from 41). The pair, however, struggled for fluency having to rebuild after Sixers slumped to 3 for 12 on the back of Harmanpreet and Molineux strangling them in the powerplay.Jones and Rodrigues showed no fear in the chase although Sixers did gift them some chances. Rodrigues was run out by Radha Yadav in a disastrous mix-up. Jones kept motoring, cracking four fours and a six in her 30-ball 38. Harmanpreet, having received a lifeline on 20, when Healy missed a straightforward stumping off Radha in the 16th over, then finished the job in the next over with two huge sixes off Gardner.Quick bowler Darcie Brown celebrates a maiden hat-trick for Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL•Getty Images

Darcie Brown claimed just the sixth hat-trick in WBBL history and the first for Adelaide Strikers but it wasn’t enough to overcome Brisbane Heat in a rain-reduced 11-overs-a-side clash in Launceston.Electrifying innings from Georgia Voll and Georgia Redmayne as well as some disciplined bowling from Heat held Strikers at bay despite a superb 54 from 30 balls from Laura Wolvaardt as Strikers fell just short chasing 105.After all four matches were washed out on Saturday, the start of Sunday’s morning match at Invermay Park was delayed by rain again. The match was reduced to 11 overs per side.Heat got off to a blistering start thanks to Redmayne who smashed four fours and a six in her 14-ball 28. But she holed out to deep square off Brown off the third-last ball of the powerplay with the total at 57. Ellie Johnston miscued the next ball to mid-on to make it two in two for Brown. That brought the dangerous Laura Kimmince to the crease for the hat-trick delivery. Brown bounced Kimmince first ball and she got a thick top edge trying to hook that carried all the way to deep fine leg where Wolvaardt held the catch to complete the hat-trick.Heat kept their foot on the gas despite slumping to 4 for 57. Voll smashed 31 not out from 17 balls, including two sixes to lift the total to 5 for 104 from 11 overs.Wolvaardt and Dane van Niekerk put on a 68-run opening stand in the chase but they were always behind the rate and the pressure eventually took its toll. Jess Jonassen took two wickets in two balls in the eighth over and Georgia Prestwidge did the same in the 10th. Strikers needed 18 from the final over but could only manage 12.

Wahab Riaz starred in the late game as Central Punjab brought Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s unbeaten run to an end

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2021Balochistan thumped Southern Punjab by seven wickets to move off the bottom of the points table, leaving Sohaib Maqsood’s side winless in the competition.After Balochistan put the opposition in to bat, they took immediate control, Khurram Shahzad removing Zain Abbas off the first ball to set the tempo of the innings. A 45-run partnership between captain Maqsood and Zeeshan Ashraf was the only tepid resistance SP managed throughout the innings, and once Amad Butt and Yasir Shah came in, they razed through the opposition. A combined six wickets for 30 runs in 7.5 overs cut SP to ribbons, with Maqsood’s side failing to bat out their allotted 20 overs for the second successive game. They were bowled out inside 18 overs for 101, the lowest score of the tournament, giving Balochistan a straightforward path to victory.Balochistan would not complicate matters, safely chugging along at a run-a-ball despite the early loss of their captain Imam-ul-Haq. Abdul Bangalzai led the chase in a mature, assured manner, his unbeaten 58 off 55 balls breaking the back of the total in a 57-run partnership with Bismillah Khan. It wasn’t until the 18th over that victory was sealed, but with little scoreboard pressure, Balochistan were never forced to take any risks. Southern Punjab started last year’s campaign with four defeats in a row before recovering to make the final, and with three defeats in as many games here, they look like they’ll need similar heroics this time around.
In the evening game, Central Punjab put an end to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s unbeaten start to the National T20 Cup with a thumping 43-run win.After winning the toss and batting first, CP got off to a breezy start with Babar Azam and Ahmed Shehzad, but KP’s star-studded bowling attack pegged them back through the middle overs. The runs began to dry up and wickets were shared between Shaheen Shah Afridi and the rest of the pack. But when it looked like the innings might be meandering, Hussain Talat blasted a 26-ball 51 to put KP to the sword, and ensure his side had momentum heading into the break, having given the opposition a stiff 172 to chase.Before KP could really get stuck in, CP devastated them with their powerplay performance. Mohammad Rizwan’s run-out was a crippling early blow before Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali and Ehsan Adil removed three more in quick succession to leave KP teetering at 19 for 4. Sahibzada Farhan and Mohammad Wasim attempted a comeback, and for a while kept KP sniffing around with an outside chance of a remarkable heist. But two wickets in an over from Wahab Riaz put paid to any such thoughts, and before long, the victory that looked inevitable was made official, with KP folding for 128.

Visitors forced to follow on but reach close unscathed in second innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Apr-2025Gloucestershire paceman Zaman Akhter produced an incisive bowling performance to ask questions of Glamorgan on day three of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.Colin Ingram top-scored with 103 and Chris Cooke contributed 56 in a rearguard action for the Welsh county, but Akhter’s return of 5 for 85 from 20.5 overs and 3 for 61 from fellow quick Ajeet Singh Dale ensured Glamorgan were dismissed for 385, a first-innings deficit of 161.With the possibility of a first red-ball win in Bristol since September 2022 before them, Gloucestershire enforced the follow-on, only to then be frustrated by openers Zain-ul-Hassan and Eddie Byron, who scored 51 not out and 47 not out respectively to usher Glamorgan to the close on 106 without loss. The visitors trail by 55 runs, their chances of saving the game on the final day vastly improved.Still 400 runs behind and needing a further 250 to avoid the follow on at the start of the day, Glamorgan were intent upon survival. But Gloucestershire’s bowlers were afforded encouragement by partial cloud cover and Singh Dale was rewarded for bowling a fuller length when Kiran Carlson failed to move his feet, edged a routine catch to Cameron Bancroft at second slip and departed for 22 in the seventh over of the morning with the score on 169. Gloucestershire tails were up and Ingram was fortunate to survive on 33 when attempting to pull Taylor and seeing the ball drop just short of Graeme van Buuren at mid-on.Change bowlers Akhter and Tom Price were unable to exert the same degree of pressure and, as conditions eased and the sun came out, so new batsman Ben Kellaway and Ingram began to find runs easier to come by. After an hour and 10 minutes, Gloucestershire skipper Bancroft had seen enough and called upon off spinner Ollie Price.It came as something of a surprise, both to onlookers and the batsman himself, when Kellaway became stuck in his crease and was bowled by an Akhter yorker that knocked off stump out of the ground. Kellaway had made 22 and Glamorgan were perhaps feeling a little anxious as Cooke joined Ingram with the score on 205-5. Ingram responded by hoisting Ollie Price over long-on for six to raise an 86-ball 50 in the grand manner, after which the Welsh county secured a first batting bonus point.Glamorgan were 251-5 at lunch, Ingram unbeaten on 62 and Cooke 21 not out.
The new ball represented Gloucestershire’s only realistic chance of forcing a result on a characteristically flat Bristol pitch, but Ingram and Cooke looked increasingly assured as they extended their alliance to three figures from 169 deliveries amid a flurry of boundaries. Ingram went to his hundred via 170 balls, reaching that landmark with his 13th four, a back-foot drive behind point off Singh Dale. Cooke reached a 99-ball 50 in the next over, driving Akhter through the covers for his eighth boundary.Gloucestershire desperately needed a breakthrough and Akhter provided it, encouraging a ball to nip back at Cooke and hit off and middle. Cooke had made 56 and played his part in a hugely important stand of 129 for the sixth wicket with Ingram. When Singh Dale bowled Ingram on the back foot for 103 and Akhter had Timm van der Gugten held at first slip by Ollie Price for four, three wickets had fallen in 12 balls and Glamorgan were back under intense pressure at 337 for 8, still 60 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.The ninth wicket pair of Ned Leonard and Shoaib Bashir successfully negotiated eight overs as Glamorgan reached the sanctuary of the tea interval on 363-8, still 183 runs behind. Relying on pace following the resumption, Gloucestershire quickly terminated tail-end resistance, Akther clean bowling Leonard for 16 and then repeating the feat in his next over to remove Asitha Fernando for six, leaving Bashir high and dry on 22 not out.Glamorgan made a better fist of batting second time around, openers Byron and Hassan demonstrating admirable concentration to defy tiring bowlers for 31 overs and greatly improve Welsh prospects of salvaging a draw on the final day. Hassan went to a patient 50 from 102 balls with 6 fours, while Byron finished just three runs short of the same landmark.

There are recalls for Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera and Hansima Karunaratne in the 17-member squad

Madushka Balasuriya23-Apr-2025The uncapped quartet of Malki Madara, Dewmi Vihanga, Rashmika Sewwandi and Piumi Badalge are among six changes to the squad that toured New Zealand earlier this year, as Sri Lanka named a 17-member squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series against India and South Africa starting April 27.There are recalls for veteran Inoka Ranaweera, as well as Hasini Perera and Hansima Karunaratne. Making way are Imesha Dulani, Sachini Nisansala, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Chethana Vimukthi and the injured Udeshika Prabodhani.Among the new faces, 24-year-old spinner Madara made her senior debut during last month’s T20I series against New Zealand, impressing with a match-winning three-wicket haul in her first game.Related

• Kapp rested; Meso, Smit and Naidu earn maiden ODI call-ups

• Kashvee gets maiden call-up, regulars return for tri-series

She joins a strong spin contingent, bolstered by the returning Ranaweera, and one that also has the likes of Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, star allrounder Kavisha Dilhari, and the uncapped 19-year-old spin-bowling allrounder Vihanga.Another player who will be eyeing an ODI debut will be 18-year-old batting allrounder Sewwandi, who was part of Sri Lanka’s squad at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year. Sewwandi is one of just two seamers in the squad, alongside Achini Kulasuriya.The squad is largely settled on the batting front, with skipper Chamari Athapaththu leading a mostly unchanged unit which includes Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani.There are, however, slots for the taking with 17-year-old Manudi Nanayakkara one to keep an eye on, after she scored a brisk 35 in her only opportunity on the tour of New Zealand. Panadura CC captain Badalge, 29, will also be hoping for a first opportunity with the national side.Sri Lanka play India in Colombo on April 27 to begin the series.

Sri Lanka squad for women’s ODI tri-series

Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Manudi Nanayakkara, Hasini Perera, Achini Kulasuriya, Piumi Badalge, Dewmi Vihanga, Hansima Karunaratne, Malki Madara, Inoshi Priyadarshini, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Inoka Ranaweera

GT are the only team that didn’t disband completely, with only two of their overseas players returning home

ESPNcricinfo staff11-May-2025Despite the uncertainty around the resumption of IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) are one team that have carried on normal business. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the table-toppers of the ongoing season have continued training despite the tournament being suspended for a week on May 9 following the escalation in cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.After the league was suspended, several overseas players and coaching staff left India in the following 24 hours. GT was the only team that did not disband completely, with only the overseas pair of Jos Buttler and Gerald Coetzee returning home to England and South Africa, respectively. Most of their players and support staff members stayed back in Ahmedabad, the home city of the franchise, to train at the Narendra Modi Stadium.The ceasefire was announced on Saturday evening and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said on Sunday that the board would “duly announce the date of IPL restart” once it had consulted “all stakeholders and the concerned government authorities.”GT are currently leading the points table. They have eight wins from 11 games, just like Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) but with a better net run rate. Two of their remaining three games were to be played at home – against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – and the other against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Delhi.GT’s openers B Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill are second and third, respectively, in the Orange Cap race. Both have over 500 runs and are behind only Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Suryakumar Yadav. GT’s fast bowler Prasidh Krishna is leading the Purple Cap race with 20 wickets.

Chase takes over from Brathwaite as WI’s new Test captain

ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2025Roston Chase is reflecting on legacy as he takes on the job of captaining West Indies in Tests. In his new role, he follows in the footsteps of Frank Worrell, Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards. But Chase is also thinking of his own personal journey to Test captaincy, having once being served a two-year ultimatum by his mother to show he can make a career out of cricket. It was the love for cricket that drove him, he said.Now a 33-year-old Test allrounder with 49 Test matches under his belt, Chase remembers what it was like for him at 18, just trying to make his way in the Barbados team, for whom he eventually made his debut at that age.”I was a student at the University of West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill at the time, and I would be taking a lot of leave to go and play like in the first-class competition,” Chase said. “I wasn’t cemented in the Barbados team at that stage. So my mother encouraged me, but gave me an ultimatum that I will be given two years to make myself a permanent fixture in the Barbados team or I will have to go to school permanently.Related

• Chase: 'I know how to bring the best out of players'

• Roston Chase appointed West Indies' Test captain

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“I loved cricket more than school. I was always a good student, but cricket was my love. I worked hard, and I’m glad that she gave me that ultimatum because that really was the driving force for me to carry my cricket to the next level.”Chase’s father, too, had been instrumental in driving his career, he said. “He would come and watch all my games, and talk to me about the game, [like] where I need to improve or I need to work on – the dos and don’ts.”West Indies’ Test schedule is lighter than most others these days, but Chase captains the side, that, in the 1980s, was arguably the best that ever played the longest form of cricket. He feels the weight of that history.”Captaining the West Indies is a great job to have, and there’s a legacy attached to it,” he said. “Playing for the West Indies means everything to me, so I’m ready for the responsibilities which come with the job.”Chase has not played a Test since March 2023, but was appointed captain following a “detailed assessment process”, according to Cricket West Indies.West Indies only have 13 Tests scheduled in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. Other than that, they have a non-WTC Test pencilled in against Afghanistan, in 2027. Chase’s first assignment as Test captain will be the three-match home series against Australia, which begins in Bridgetown on June 25.

Who have been the Frenchman's best servants during an iconic 22-year reign in north London?

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  1How they line up

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  2Dennis Bergkamp

  A masterful technician who could make the game look easy at times. Bergkamp was never renowned for his goalscoring prowess but still managed over 100 goals during his time at Arsenal. Although he wasn't a Wenger signing it was Bergkamp who led the line for a new, entertaining Arsenal side under the Frenchman. Another player who has his own statue outside Arsenal's stadium.

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  3Thierry Henry

  Arsenal's greatest ever goalscorer. Three FA Cups, two Premier League titles and an Invincible season were part of Henry's honours list. The French striker had a blend of pace, skill and technique which was unrivalled in the Premier League. He even has his own statue outside Emirates Stadium.

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  4Robert Pires

  Pure class. Possessed a perfect touch, precise shot and elegant running style which made it look as if he was gliding across the floor. Pires epitomises those who say 'he's a Wenger player'.

Virgil van Dijk might not be the game's most expensive defender for much longer, with a host of top clubs set to sign centre-halves in the off-season

Sadio Mane correctly pointed out earlier this season that many pundits felt Liverpool had "over-paid" when they signed Virgil van Dijk from Southampton last year for £75 million ($99m).

However, the Dutchman has since made that record-breaking fee for a defender look like a bargain with his colossal displays for the Premier League title-chasing Reds.

What's more, other top clubs around Europe are now set to follow Liverpool's lead by spending big on centre-halves this summer.

For once, defenders, rather than attackers, look set to generate the highest transfer fees during upcoming transfer window.

Indeed, on Wednesday, Bayern Munich announced that they had agreed a Bundesliga-record €80m fee with Atletico Madrid for versatile centre-back Lucas Hernandez , who will move to Bavaria at the end of the season.

It should be just the first in a plethora of summer switches involving the game's elite defenders.

As Goal has already revealed, Barcelona are willing to listen to lucrative bids for Samuel Umtiti, and the Frenchman's departure could have a major knock-on effect across Europe…

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  Samuel Umtiti

  Samuel Umtiti played a pivotal role in Barcelona's domestic double last season before helping France win the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

  So, why would the Catalans even consider letting him leave?

  Well, the main reason is Clement Lenglet, who has proved an even bigger hit at Camp Nou than Barca expected after joining from Sevilla last summer.

  The 23-year-old Frenchman has moved ahead of his injury-prone compatriot in the pecking order to partner Gerard Pique at the heart of the Blaugrana defence.

  Consequently, Barca, who have a lot of money tied up in the upcoming redevelopment of Camp Nou, are willing to listen to offers for Umtiti to help fund this summer's recruitment plan, which includes the signing of another centre-half…

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  Matthijs De Ligt

  … And Barcelona hope that new centre-half will be Matthijs De Ligt.

  The Ajax captain is considered the game's next great defender, coveted by both Manchester City and Juventus.

  However, having already wrapped up a deal for De Ligt's team-mate Frenkie de Jong, Barca are confident that they will also soon seal a deal for elegant but tough 19-year-old centre-half.

  The transfer fee is likely to rise above €70m, but even though De Ligt is not yet the finished article – as his performance against Germany last weekend underlined – the Blaugrana believe that the youngest player in history ever to play 100 games for Ajax is Pique's natural successor.

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  Milan Skriniar

  Where De Ligt ends up could affect Milan Skriniar's future.

  The Slovakia international has been a revelation since joining Inter from Sampdoria for just €28m in the summer of 2017 and he was the subject of a €55m bid from an unnamed club last January.

  It is widely believed that Manchester City were the mystery party and Pep Guardiola's side could well rekindle their interest in the 24-year-old should they miss out on De Ligt.

  However, according to Mital Halis, who works for the agency that represents Skriniar, Barca and Real Madrid are now leading the chase for the Slovak's services.

  Of course, should Barca land De Ligt, there interest will end but Madrid could well be in need of a new centre-half this summer…

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  Raphael Varane

  … That's because Raphael Varane has stunned everyone at Real Madrid by considering a move away from Santiago Bernabeu.

  The France international may not generate as many headlines as his prolific and outspoken central defensive partner Sergio Ramos, but he is the superior defender and, at 25, was expected to take on an even more important leadership role in the coming years.

  However, Goal understands that Varane expected even greater responsibility and status at Madrid after playing a pivotal role in his country's World Cup triumph last summer.

  The transfer talk may just be a power play on the part of the Frenchman's representatives to secure their client a lucrative new contract but the news of his unrest means that several clubs will now be considering testing the waters with a lucrative bid…