Spurs: Postecoglou Could Land N17’s Next Harry Kane For £34m

Tottenham Hotspur are likely to sign a new star centre-forward before the summer transfer window slams shut in one week, having sold pre-eminent talisman Harry Kane to Bayern Munich for £100m this month.

New manager Ange Postecoglou has kicked things off impressively in the Premier League however, drawing away to Brentford before beating Manchester United 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Moves have been made this summer, with James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Alejo Veliz, Manor Solomon and Guglielmo Vicario joining the club while Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro's loan moves have been made permanent, but a new talisman is still required.

What's the latest on Santiago Gimenez to Tottenham?

Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez has been on Tottenham's radar this summer – according to the player's agent, Morris Pagniello – with claims that the Lilywhites have met with the player's entourage and were ready to lodge a €40m (£34m) offer.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Pagniello stated that there is still time left on the market, and while the 22-year-old forward is contented with the Dutch champions, this could be one to keep an eye on as the window approaches the business end.

How good is Santiago Gimenez?

The Argentina-born Mexico international has been in fine fettle over in the Netherlands, having netted 28 goals across all competitions last term as Feyenoord gleaned the Dutch league title.

The 18-cap ace was described as "on fire" by talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier in 2023 as he fired in goals like a fusillade of missiles, and with such impressive goalscoring feats, he has arrested the attention of the Tottenham hierarchy.

Indeed, Gimenez ranks among the top 3% of forwards in the Men's 'Next Eight' divisions over the past year for goals, the top 5% for total shots and the top 1% for touches in the attacking area per 90, as per FBref.

Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez

Dirk Kuyt has certainly been coloured impressed by his performances, even going as far as to say that he is the "best" striker in the Netherlands.

He said:

“He’s back here in the middle of the defenders and he’s really fast,"

"Watching the keeper before he shoots, the rest. In my opinion, he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

Gimenez is not completely similar to Kane in terms of style, giving that he serves as the quintessential focal frontman at the tip of the attack.

Kane, while one of the most frightening goalscorers in Europe – he scored 32 goals for the Lilywhites last term – is also one of the most creative attackers around, ranking among the top 10% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90.

The latter metric indicates a tendency to drop deep and influence the play by placing passes through the thirds, splitting the line and allowing his box-crashing teammates to latch onto his ball.

Gimenez wouldn't offer that kind of threat, after all, he created only 0.6 key passes per game in the Eredivisie last year, but he would be able to provide the kind of cutting edge that would be shades of Kane.

And anyway, Maddison's arrival has signalled a newfound layer of supplementation from the centre, with the playmaker having already provided two assists this year, creating four key passes per game, so deploying a striker such as Gimenez could prove to be a resounding success.

Postecoglou must make sure Kane is replaced over the next week, and while that is certainly a tall order, Gimenez's prolificness could at least ease that burden in N17.

Everton Could Move On From Adams With Bid For "Special" £34m Gem

It's been an interminable period of tumult for Everton, scraping for Premier League survival over the past several campaigns and often misfiring on the transfer front, going through a score of managers.

With Sean Dyche now at the helm, having escaped relegation danger last season with victory over Bournemouth on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign, there will be optimism that a brighter future is on the horizon despite a weary start to the current season, losing to Fulham and Aston Villa.

The side finished last year as the league's second-lowest scorers, but Dyche has attempted to rectify this by signing Arnaut Danjuma, Jack Harrison and Youssef Chermiti, though an established striker still feels a necessity.

What's the latest on Hugo Ekitike to Everton?

According to the Evening Standard, Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike, 21, has been on the Toffees' radar all summer, having already tabled a bid totalling £34m.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The competition is fierce, however, with West Ham United, AC Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt and Lyon all vying for his signature.

How good is Hugo Ekitike?

Only earlier this week, multiple sources – including The Telegraph – claimed that Everton were close to agreeing a £15m fee with Southampton for the sale of striker Che Adams – but the recent withdrawal of potentially lucrative investors MSP Sports Capital, who were poised to take a minority stake, is the likely reason the deal has stagnated.

The fact that links persist, with the likes of the reputed Fabrizio Romano recently confirming that Everton are eyeing a move for Udinese striker Beto and have seen a €25-26m (£21-22m) offer rebuffed, tantalises an incoming forward across the next several days.

While Adams would be the most cost-efficient acquisition, if the Merseyside outfit have the financial capacity, a deal for Ekitike must be prioritised, considering the burgeoning talent scored ten goals and served four assists from just 15 Ligue 1 starts in 2021/22 for Reims before completing a move to PSG.

hugo-ekitike-everton-transfer-news-opinion-premier-league

For the Parisien outfit last season, Ekitike only posted four goals and assists apiece across all competitions, albeit starting on just 14 occasions, and a move away appears to be forthcoming, with the French champions happy to grant his departure.

Everton would land a prodigious talent and a "special" player – as hailed by former Reims manager Óscar García – with the £79k-per-week phenom ranking among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 5% for assists, the top 20% for tackles and the top 2% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Illustrating an all-encompassing and dynamic set of skills, Ekitike would thrive in Dyche's system, threading the play together and offering a tenacious approach in defensive phases, evidenced through his impressive metrics despite playing in a PSG side that dominates the lion's share of its matches.

Adams, comparatively, simply isn't as talented a player.

This is no detriment to the Scotland international, who has scored 34 goals and supplied 15 assists from 149 matches for Saints and described as a "clever player" by pundit Ally McCoist, but rather, a testament to the potential of Ekitike.

He also ranks among the bottom 8% of forwards for goals per 90 and only the top 37% for assists per 90, and while the argument could be made that he has been playing in a dismal Saints outfit over the past year, Everton haven't exactly been thriving.

The 27-year-old simply doesn't boast the dynamism and natural flair of his French counterpart, who looks destined for an impressive career.

It would be a risk for Ekitike to join a Premier League outfit in Everton that is struggling to break free of the division's cold shackles at the pit, but he would find a role as a centrepiece, and a chance to exhibit the calibre of his ability by spearheading the resurgence.

Klopp Could Sign Liverpool’s Own Ugarte In £20m "Tackling Machine"

Liverpool need to move quickly to complete their summer spending after missing out on two top targets, with Jurgen Klopp's side currently without a holding midfielder.

Who do Liverpool want to sign?

According to 90min, Liverpool are considering raiding the Championship to solve their midfield woes.

The player in question is Leeds United and USMNT player Tyler Adams, who has become the focus of their attention after losing out to Chelsea for both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Bournemouth are further along than the Reds at this stage and have triggered the player's clause, according to Fabrizio Romano, and Klopp and co will need to think fast if they do want to push ahead with a deal for the 24-year-old.

Adams is widely believed to possess a £20m release clause contract with the Whites due to the Elland Road team's relegation from the Premier League last season, highlighting the astuteness of a deal for a player who impressed despite the club's issues.

Coincidentally, he nearly signed for Chelsea, even undergoing a medical before the Blues turned their attention towards Lavia.

How good is Tyler Adams?

It's not been a good week for the Anfield side on the transfer front; technical director Jorg Schmadtke walked through the corridors of chaos and emerged with a burn, and now Liverpool's Premier League campaign has commenced and the squad very much needs further work.

Caicedo and Lavia are both tremendous talents and – especially the former – would likely have catalysed the Merseyside outfit, who failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons last term, with the midfield's inability to effectively protect the defence cited as the crux of the decline – but then there is little point rueing the past at this stage.

Adams joined Leeds in a £20m deal from RB Leipzig one year ago, and he would record an average Sofascore rating of 6.98 despite the side's dismal performances, averaging one key pass per game, completing 82% of his passes and making 3.7 tackles per match.

tyler-adams

Dubbed an "absolute beast" by one analyst, Adams' tackling is the standout and would offer Liverpool something they were missing last season, with Fabinho making just 1.8 tackles on average in the English top-flight and Jordan Henderson 0.9.

In fact, the 36-cap American ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 3% for blocks per 90, as per FBref, to underscore just how tenacious he is in the middle, having also been described as a "tackling machine" by Kevin Campbell.

There are shades of Manuel Ugarte in there, significant similarities that suggest that Adams' profile could be perfect for Klopp's system, given that Ugarte was attracting attention from the Reds before Paris Saint-Germain completed a transfer after meeting the Uruguayan's €60m (£52m) release clause earlier this summer.

Also regarded as a 'ball-winning machine' by Dave Kendrick, Ugarte ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next Eight divisions – outside the top European five as he played for Sporting Lisbon last season – for tackles, the top 3% for interceptions, the top 12% for blocks and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

It's just what Liverpool need, there is plenty of attacking panache in the squad, but the balance is all wrong right now, and with an industrious force in the centre the Reds' lofty ambitions might just be realised.

Chelsea Close To Move For Own Rice In 5 ft 10 Ace Who’s The "Genuine Article"

Despite Chelsea’s new hierarchy remaining in the infancy of its ownership, we have already become accustomed to its eccentric, ridiculous, and untameable transfer dealings.

Their hijack of Mykhailo Mudryk from Arsenal and the deadline-day swoop of Enzo Fernandez for a record-breaking fee of £106.8m in January appeared unbeatable in terms of drama and chaos.

But, this club is addicted to headlines and a realisation over the lack of midfield options has festered into a desperate spree that could see the Blues hit new heights in their spending…

Moises Caicedo is about to break Premier League history…

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are ‘increasingly confident’ of getting the Caicedo deal done on Saturday, following a round of positive talks with Brighton.

Their official bid won’t be less than Liverpool's £110m bid that was submitted on Friday.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The Reds had agreed to a fee with the Seagulls, but the midfielder informed all parties that he only wants to join the West London outfit.

Chelsea play Liverpool on Sunday and the former hope to unveil the combative Ecuadorean at Stamford Bridge – which would be antagonistic flex of their overwhelming financial muscle and unexplainable transfer pull.

Why would Moises Caicedo be a good signing for Chelsea?

Back in January 2021, Brighton made the assuming purchase of Caicedo for £4.5m from Independiente del Valle, and they set to make over £100m profit on a player with just 45 Premier League appearances.

But, the fact he’s amassed such an esteemed reputation in a short space of time is a testament to his elite quality.

Even before he featured in English football, Tim Vickery predicted the 21-year-old to have a glistening future, saying: “He is a terrific athlete who makes football look easy. A box-to-box midfielder.

"That kind of box-to-box midfielder that's very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent and cool. He really does look like the genuine article."

Caicedo has supported Vickery’s statement by tremendously excelling within his age group as last season, he won possession in the midfield third the most times (142) of any U21 player.

The £60k-per-week titan also deputised as an emergency right-back, starring in clean-sheet victories over Arsenal and Manchester United. This led to extraordinary praise from Roberto De Zerbi, who said that Caicedo is a “top, top player” that can “play everywhere.”

As recognition for his boundless versatility, consistency, and limitless potential, the 32-cap international was named Brighton’s Player of the Season for 2022/23.

If Mauricio Pochettino manages to complete this signing, it could be on the same level of importance and magnitude as Declan Rice to Arsenal.

Declan Rice Arsenal

Both players occupied formidably efficient defensive midfielder roles that impeccably protect the defence. Moreover, they are also blessed with supreme technical ability, which means they are two of the world’s most talented and accomplished pivots.

Caicedo and Rice rank very closely for pass completion per 90 (88.6% vs 86.4%), progressive passes per 90 (6.41 vs 6.64), and interceptions per 90 (1.56 vs 1.78) – these figures mean they rank within at least the highest 24% in Europe’s top five leagues among their positional peers for these metrics.

The 5 foot 10 ace would be a huge statement for Chelsea and he will target a long-lasting and trophy-laden legacy at the home of the two-time European Champions.

تمت.. ليفربول يحسم صفقة المدرب الجديد لخلافة كلوب

توصل نادي ليفربول إلى اتفاق نهائي بشأن هوية المدرب الجديد لخلافة يورجن كلوب في تدريب الفريق، بدءًا من الموسم المقبل.

وبدأ ليفربول عملية البحث عن خليفة كلوب، بعدما أعلن الألماني في يناير الماضي أنه ينوي مغادرة ملعب “الأنفيلد” بمجرد انتهاء الموسم الحالي.

اقرأ أيضًا | بتوصية من لويس سواريز.. برشلونة يستهدف ضم لاعب ليفربول

وارتبط أكثر من مدرب بإمكانية تدريب ليفربول، مثل روبن أموريم، تشابي ألونسو، قبل ظهور آرني سلوت على رادارهم.

وأكدت تقارير اليوم أن المفاوضات بين ليفربول ونادي فينورد في تقدم ملحوظ، بشأن انتقال آرني سلوت إلى النادي الإنجليزي.

وحسبما ذكر الصحفي الشهير فابريزيو رومانو منذ قليل، فإن آرني سلوت سيكون المدرب الجديد لفريق ليفربول، بالفعل، بدءًا من الموسم القادم.

وأوضح أن هناك اتفاقية تعويض بين ليفربول وفينورد، كون آرني سلوت يمتلك عقدًا في الوقت الحالي مع النادي الهولندي.

وأصبح البالغ من العمر 45 عامًا الآن حرًا في الانضمام إلى ليفربول في الصيف بعد انتهاء موسم فينورد بالدوري الهولندي.

وسبق أن ذكرت تقارير صحفية في وقت سابق من هذا الأسبوع أن ليفربول كان لديه عرض افتتاحي بقيمة 9 ملايين يورو، رفضه فينورد، لكن الطرفين توصلا الآن إلى اتفاق حول قيمة التعويض.

Everton Closing In On Deal To Sign £19m Special Young Talent At Goodison Park

To ensure that Everton enjoys a more comfortable season, whereby they’re further distanced from relegation, Sean Dyche will need to add more attacking impetus to his side.

Last term, the Merseyside outfit netted just a miserable 35 goals in the Premier, which was the second-lowest in the division. They only scored two or more times in a single game on six occasions to underline their lack of forward threat.

Due to their current predicament, they don’t have time to allow players for periods of adaptation – they need proven top-flight players to hit the ground running.

One man who has recently suffered relegation from the Premier League but will be on the lookout for an instant return is Wilfried Gnonto, who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park.

What’s the latest on Wilfried Gnonto to Everton?

According to Sport Italia, Gnonto is 'very close' to completing a move to Everton, with the fee for the Italian understood to be around €22m (£19m).

The report also states that Aston Villa are interested in the 19-year-old, but are yet to Leeds’ valuation.

In a previous article, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor said Everton had been showing “interest” and named Gnonto in a group alongside Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville who were being courted by the Toffees, saying:

“I think these are the players that probably need to be moved on. They're probably not going to be there next season and once they go, there'll be a clearer sort of transfer budget. So I think departures should be the priority at this moment in time [for Leeds]."

This signing would finally see Everton begin to reinvest the £45m they accrued from the controversial sale of Anthony Gordon with Gnonto being an extremely shrewd acquisition.

Would Wilfried Gnonto be a good signing for Everton?

The former Inter Milan academy graduate joined Leeds last summer and in what was an extremely difficult season for the Yorkshire Giant, he emerged with a commendable reputation.

In just 14 top-flight starts, the winger recorded six goal involvements. The reluctance of Javi Gracia to give the winger regular minutes, only awarding him with three starts in 11 games, was a particularly baffling situation.

Back in January, after Leeds suffered a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was full of praise for the £20k-per-week dynamo, saying:

“I've seen a special young talent. He was absolutely exceptional. Honestly, sometimes you see potential and talent and you are excited but I watched him so closely, and his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, his choice of when to run with it, his awareness if his teammates, really, really good.”

A player of this direct and effervescent profile could be the man to reignite the stuttering career of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Last campaign, the Englishman was restricted to just 17 domestic appearances due to persistent injury problems but has previously indicated that he has the devastating potential the lead the Everton line.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin Everton

During the 2020/21 campaign, the frontman bagged 16 goals and formed a solid attacking partnership with Richarlison, who found the net on ten occasions.

This type of prolific link-up is what the Toffees have desperately lacked and Gnonto would be an ideal candidate to get Calvert-Lewin firing again.

Newcastle Offered Opportunity To Sign 26-Year-Old Free Agent

Newcastle United have been given the opportunity to land one of their targets, with 90min reporting that Daichi Kamada has been offered to the club on a free transfer.

Who is Daichi Kamada?

The 26-year-old has already played across Europe and spent the 2022/23 season in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. He was a first-team regular for the side and managed a total of 32 Bundesliga games for the side, bagging nine goals with six assists along the way.

He also featured eight times for them in the Champions League and scored three times – showing that not only does he have experience on the European stage, but that he is also prolific enough to impress in the competition.

Kamada began his career in his native Japan with Sagan Tosu as a young 18-year-old and after firing in 13 league goals in 54 starts for the club, he bagged himself a move to Frankfurt in 2017. He was only used for a handful of minutes in that initial campaign – starting only two Bundesliga games and featuring in three in total – and was shipped out on loan to get regular action in Belgium for Sint-Truiden. It was there where he proved his worth in Europe, bagging 12 league goals in just 21 starts for the club, as they finished ninth.

It led to him returning to the German outfit full of confidence, and he was duly given the chance to prove himself when he did arrive back in the Bundesliga. He was thrown into the first team for Frankfurt and has since gone on to make 127 appearances for them in the league with 20 goals and 25 assists.

However, Kamada, primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play as a second striker or central midfielder, is now available on a free transfer after his contract expired at the end of June.

Daichi Kamada

Are Newcastle United signing Daichi Kamada?

Now, according to a report from 90min, the midfielder has been offered to Newcastle in a potential transfer. It states that fellow Premier League side Tottenham and several other sides have also been told they can sign the 26-year-old this summer, with a move to AC Milan collapsing. It means that he won't be heading to Italy and is once more available to pick up for no fee – and it is now up to these clubs to decide whether to make a move for the Japan international.

Football journalist Josh Bunting has already spoken about a potential switch to the Premier League for Kamada this summer. He stated that the Japan midfielder would be an "excellent" signing for any top-flight outfit and that they should be on "high alert" now that a deal is doable.

Whilst he isn't a big-name signing perhaps on the same level as new man Sandro Tonali, it could still be a shrewd and worthwhile deal for Newcastle if they did opt to add him. He has experience in Europe, has played at a high level and would cost them nothing – meaning they have a really versatile attacking player ahead of the new season.

Dyche Could Land Everton Upgrade With £20k-p/w "Firework"

Everton are in need of new options in multiple positions this summer, none more so than out wide after failing to replace Anthony Gordon following his exit to Newcastle United midway through last season.

Most of those Sean Dyche does have to call upon in attack have shown they are not good enough for a team with ambitions of battling for a place in the top half of the Premier League, Demarai Gray among them.

The 26-year-old, on a reported £25,000k-a-week at Goodison Park, could be on his way out in the coming weeks, further heightening the need for an upgrade in that wide position.

According to one report, Everton are locked in talks to bring in Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds United – a player who, like Gray, is capable of playing in multiple positions across the front-line

Should Everton sign Leeds United attacker Wilfried Gnonto?

Gnonto is expected to be offered a direct route back to the Premier League following Leeds' relegation to the Championship, with Arsenal another team supposedly interested in the 19-year-old.

While Gnonto hardly ripped up the top flight last season with his two goals and four assists, it was generally considered that he deserved far more of a chance to show his worth, having started just 14 of United's 28 league games.

When the young "firework" – as described by pundit Noel Whelan – was given a run of starts around the turn of the year, the 11-cap Italy international scored four goals in the space of seven games, including an early strike in February's 2-2 draw at Manchester United.

demarai-gray-everton-premier-league-west-ham-transfers

Even when he was not on target, the £20k-per-week starlet earned praise for his performances, such as in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa. Gary Neville, covering the game for Sky Sports, said at the time: "To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

"Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of team-mates, really good honestly."

When breaking down Gnonto's bare figures, the Italian scored and assisted at a rate of 0.31 goals per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, with that also taking in his handful of appearances for FC Zurich. Gray, by comparison, recorded a figure of 0.18.

The pair found the net from a similar number of shots – 0.06 for Gnonto and 0.04 for Gray – but the Leeds ace did come out on top for passes completed per 90 minutes (24.7 v 20.8) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.47 v 0.18), with the latter taking factors such as passes and take-ons leading to goals into consideration.

Gnonto surprisingly won more aerial duels, too, 30.8% to Gray's 22.4%, despite measuring just 5 foot 7. That is not to mention his pace, recorded at 18.21mph by Speedsdb, which makes him a "very direct" option, as former Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford put it.

Leeds will not let the youngster go on the cheap as they attempt to recoup some funds following their relegation, but he has all the hallmarks of a player who can be a fan favourite at Goodison Park for a number of years to come, as well as representing a possible upgrade on Gray.

Man Utd Make Contact Over Signing £69m ‘Genius’

An update has emerged on Manchester United and their plans to bolster their options in the middle of the park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Nicolo Barella to Man United?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Red Devils are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing Inter central midfielder Nicolo Barella in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Chelsea, Liverpool, and Newcastle United are keen on the Italy international and would be willing to double his current salary, which is reportedly around £152k-per-week.

It states that United and Mauricio Pochettino's team have both made contact with the Serie A outfit to sound out a potential deal for the talented ace, although no official offers have been made for his services as of yet.

Inter are said to be wanting a fee of at least €80m (£69m) but it remains to be seen how much the English giants are willing to pay for him.

Would Nicolo Barella be a good signing for Manchester United?

Barella could be an excellent addition to Erik ten Hag's squad next term as the 26-year-old maestro would be a big upgrade on current midfielder Fred.

The Inter magician is an attack-minded number eight who stacked up well against other players in his position in Europe's top five leagues last season.

Indeed, Opta Analyst Radar shows that the Italian excelled at getting forward to make things happen in the final third, particularly when it came to creating chances and scoring goals, which has earned him a strong comparison with impressive Barcelona starlet Pedri.

Barella, who reporter Mike Piellucci dubbed a "genius", averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across 35 Serie A matches in 22/23 and contributed with six goals and six assists from the middle of the park, whilst he also won 55% of his individual duels.

Inter central midfielder Nicolo Barella.

Fred, on the other hand, averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 35 Premier League games and chipped in with two goals and two assists.

This suggests that the Inter ace, who was described as "outstanding" by writer Jerry Mancini, is capable of being more consistent with the quality of his performances and has the quality on the ball to make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch to win points for his side.

The Brazil international also lost 52% of his physical contests for Manchester United, indicating that Barella would be a stronger option in midfield, which could add some real steel to the team in front of the back four. Just imagine the thought of hm beside Casemiro; it's a tantalising prospect.

Indeed, it's clear that Ten Hag could land a big upgrade on the current Red Devils midfielder by swooping for the Serie A talent this summer. He would undoubtedly offer far more in and out of possession.

Anderson-Ashwin confrontation 'disappointing' – Cook

A confrontation between James Anderson and R Ashwin provided a “sour end” to the fourth Test in Mumbai, according to Alastair Cook.Anderson, England’s last batsman, received quite the welcome party when he walked out to bat in the dying moments of the match. Ashwin, in particular, appeared to have taken exception to his comments on the fourth evening that seemed, at best, grudgingly respectful of Virat Kohli’s dominance, and accompanied him for much of his walk to the middle. While it is unclear exactly what was said, it seems safe to assume Ashwin was not offering his full support. Play was delayed briefly before Kohli and umpire Marais Erasmus stepped in to ensure order was restored.The England camp felt Anderson’s comments were, in Cook’s words, “blown out of proportion”. But while Cook accepted Ashwin and his team-mates were “sticking up for their captain” he still described the episode as unnecessary and disappointing.”It was a bit of a sour end really,” Cook said. “It was a disappointing end in terms of how well the spirit between both sides has been played.”It was clearly in reference to what Jimmy said yesterday which has kind of been blown out of all proportions, which it can do here. He was just stating a fact which if you asked Virat is probably quite true. But yes, it was obviously just sticking up for their captain which I thought was slightly unnecessary.”Kohli was more relaxed about the incident and confirmed that he had made his peace with Anderson and agreed to “move on”.”For the first time I was trying to calm things down in the middle at a time when [Anderson] is involved,” he said. “Ashwin wasn’t pleased with what he said in the press, but I didn’t even know about it. So I didn’t know what to make of it. I was laughing about it.”Ashwin wasn’t too impressed and he let him know, not using any bad words honestly. I think he told him he was pretty disappointed with what he said and it is important to accept defeat as it is. Things like that. Just general, you know how Ashwin is, he is to the point, he can really strike you well and he doesn’t need to say bad words. Later on I told James these things happen and let’s move on.”While Kohli said he was “not going to sit here and comment about someone else’s faults” he had already expressed his views. Having suggested England’s batsmen lacked “intent” as they battled to save the Test in Visakhapatnam, he told Star Sports after this match that England had played too expansively as they were “not so confident of their defence”.He may well have a point. Just as Anderson may have had a point about Kohli’s record in England and Parthiv Patel may have had a point about the limitations of England’s spinners and the early struggles of Jos Buttler in the first innings of this game. The way in which these views are expressed, which sometimes seems intended to goad the opposition, is the issue.But there is history between these teams. India felt England’s behaviour towards them was poor on the tour of 2014 – in particular, the alleged incident between Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja was never satisfactorily resolved from an Indian perspective – and England can feel their proud record against India crumbling by the moment.Either way, it all seems unnecessary. India have proved themselves the better side. No amount of comment will change the scoreline.

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