Liverpool have submitted a £53m offer for a Tottenham Hotspur star, and they are confident it will be accepted, with talks now progressing.

Reds survive late scare to secure win at Tottenham

With Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike scoring to give the Reds a 2-0 advantage at 10-man Tottenham on Saturday afternoon, Arne Slot’s side appeared to be cruising to an easy victory in north London, but they ended up making hard work of it.

Richarlison’s goal just minutes after being brought on as a substitute offered the hosts a route back into the game, and they continued to push right until the very end, despite captain Cristian Romero being given his marching orders in injury time.

It wasn’t a vintage performance, with Slot’s men recording an xG of just 0.66 throughout the match, but the three points is what matters, and the victory means the Merseysiders have now moved up to fifth in the Premier League table.

Having got one over on Thomas Frank’s side, Liverpool are now looking to sign one of Spurs’ stars, according to a report from Spain, which states they have submitted an offer of €60m (£53m) for Lucas Bergvall, and they are confident it will be accepted.

As such, although talks are still at an early stage, negotiations are now progressing, with the north Londoners not completely opposed to cashing-in on the central midfielder, who they signed from Swedish side Djurgården back in 2024.

Bergvall is now considered a priority target for the Reds, and they are trying to move ahead of the other clubs in the race for his signature by submitting a mega-money bid.

"Super creative" Bergvall could be future star

Scout Ben Mattinson has provided an overview of the Swedish maestro’s key strengths, saying: “The Swedish playmaker has great football IQ. A super creative midfielder who loves to pass through the lines and has top vision to play key passes/through balls to advancing teammates.”

The 19-year-old’s ability to create chances has been on display this season, registering four assists in 21 matches for Spurs across all competitions, with perhaps his best performance coming in a 3-0 win against West Ham United, during which the youngster scored one goal and created another.

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The six-time Sweden international is exhibiting very promising signs, and he could be a future star, but there are doubts over whether Liverpool need to bring in another central midfielder, given the number of options Slot already has at his disposal.

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In the summer, Harvey Elliott had to join Aston Villa, having been unable to displace the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister in the starting XI, while Liverpool also have Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch on the books, so Bergvall could struggle for game time.

Majid Saeed, the captain of the Gujranwala team, hit an unbeaten 94 in the second innings to steer his side to a four wicket win over Sheikhupura in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (Grade-I) match played at the Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala.Chasing a target of 143 runs, Gujranwala were reduced to 98 for 6 when the captain came to the team’s rescue. He shared an unbroken partnership of 47 with wicket-keeper batsman, Hafiz Khalid, to safely reach home.Earlier, Sarfraz Ahmad, the left-arm seamer from Gujranwala took 5 wickets for 43 runs to send Sheikhupura packing for a paltry 146 in their first innings. Qaisar Abbas scored 67, as only two other batsmen could pass the double-figures.Gujranwala’s reply was not a confident one, as they lost 6 wickets for just 100 on the board. However, a partnership of 61 runs for the seventh wicket between Abdul Rehman and Hafiz Khalid ensured that their side takes the vital first innings lead. In the end it turned out to be a lead of 52, as Gujranwala were all out for 198 in their first innings.For Sheikhupura, Naveed ul Hassan and Jaffer Nazir took 6 and 3 wickets each for 80 and 32 runs, respectively.Sheikhupura’s start in the second innings was disastrous as they lost three wickets for only 11 runs. However, it was the gritty knock of 59 from the opening batsman, Zahid Javed, which avoided a total collapse. He was supported in his efforts by the middle and late order comprising of Mujahid Jamshed (32), Yasir Bashir (40), and Naveed ul Hassan (39).Sheikhupura were all out for 194, leaving a target of 143 runs for Gujranwala to wrap up the game in their favour.Mubbashir Nazir was the most successful of the Gujranwala bowlers taking 6 wickets for 56. Sarfraz took 2 for 71, whereas Abdul Rehman and Asim Butt bagged one wicket each.

ScorecardAshwell Prince continued his productive form with a calm hundred•Getty Images

Ashwell Prince equalled his highest List A score for Lancashire as the Red Rose boosted their Royal London Cup quarter-final hopes with a 29-run victory over Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.Opener Prince notched 102 to set up victory after putting on a record second-wicket stand with Alviro Petersen for the visitors.Adam Wheater gave hope to Hampshire to chase the 302 needed to win as he struck a century but they were bowled out for 272 as Lancashire clinched victory.Lancashire batted well within their comfort zone for much of their target setting after winning the toss and batting – with openers Prince and Karl Brown putting on 50 for the first wicket in 71 balls.Brown was the first to depart, leg before attempting to sweep Liam Dawson for 40 off 53. Prince reached his half-century from 65 balls before his compatriot Petersen joined him at the milestone in 48 deliveries – the latter’s including an impressive six charging Yasir Arafat.The visitors continued at their sedate but effective four-and-a-half runs an over, with Prince completing his 35th List A century in 111 balls. But two deliveries later he teed a catch up to Jimmy Adams on the square leg boundary ending the record-breaking stand on 147.The away side then lost two more wickets at 20 run intervals – Petersen ending his highest score for the county of 82 by slashing to Mason Crane at point and skipper Steven Croft, after a quickfire 25, picked out James Vince on the long-on rope.James Faulkner and Alex Davies then upped the run rate in spectacular style adding 36 in 16 balls with the latter ending the innings with a six over midwicket.Michael Carberry creamed a cover drive off Arron Lilley in the fifth over of the chase but the very next ball he slogged into the hands of long-on. Adams and Wheater overcame their early set back by amassing a 50 partnership before the wicketkeeper launched a six over long-on off Stephen Parry.Meanwhile, Adams followed up a club cricket ton on Saturday with a 56-ball 50 filled with type of form which had deserted him this season.Five balls later Wheater joined his former captain in the 50 club in exactly the same amount of balls before the pair celebrated a three-figure partnership.But after the glove bashing ended, Adams was wonderfully caught by Brown over his head in the square leg outfield when he sweetly pulled for a shot destined for six.Wheater survived two stumped chances from his counterpart when on 35 and 50. T20 Blast hero Vince only added 7 before he found his off stump knocked back by Faulkner and Ervine – after a speedy 37 stand with Wheater – mistimed a drive to Brown at deep extra cover.Wheater brought up his second format ton with a sublime back foot punch for his first six of the night which was scored in 104 balls. But he departed after only adding 11 to his three figures as he hoicked Parry to Faulkner in the deep before Simon Kerrigan nonchalantly caught Will Smith at deep midwicket.Dawson pounced with a speedy half-century – from 46 balls – before Wood was stumped and Dawson and Crane were bowled. Hampshire were bowled out with five balls to spare, when Fidel Edwards lofted down the ground

ScorecardGary Ballance’s half-century shored up Yorkshire’s innings but ended disappointingly•Getty Images

This is the week when some players can go through agonies while others tend to go through the motions. The first group study the league tables; the second read holiday brochures or golf magazines.Sussex’s cricketers, at least for the first couple of days of this match against Yorkshire, find themselves in the first category. Still needing nine points to be safe from relegation, they cannot yet permit themselves the gentle deceleration towards October in all its amber abundance.Nor, of course, could they afford to give a debut to a coltish Academy cricketer, his eyes bright at the merest thought of the big time. Instead, Ed Joyce and his players spent the first day of this game striving to keep their fate under their own control, which is not easy when you are playing the best team in the country.In such predicaments it must be rather reassuring to have Steve Magoffin in your side. For all that he is 36 in December, Magoffin must be almost certain that his services will be required at Hove next summer, whether or not the saga of his British citizenship is successfully concluded. His 64 wickets in Division One and the testimony of his peers proclaim his quality.At lunch in this game Yorkshire’s score of 106 for 2 scarcely justified Joyce’s decision to insert them. One imagines that Andrew Gale’s attack, even without Steve Patterson, who was surprisingly omitted from the eleven, would have made greater inroads. Perhaps Joyce, rather like Marcus Trescothick a couple of weeks ago, simply didn’t fancy taking first knock.The loss of the openers, Adam Lyth and Alex Lees, had been followed by a brisk third-wicket partnership between Gary Ballance and Gale, the Yorkshire captain fairly skipping along to 31 not out off 30 balls. Then Gale attempted a back-foot drive off Magoffin’s second ball after lunch but merely edged it onto his stumps.Four overs later, Jonny Bairstow, having received most of his 18 balls from Magoffin, inside-edged a catch to Ben Brown. Bairstow came into this game with a County Championship batting average of 107.1 yet he had been throttled by the accuracy of Magoffin, who had risen to the task of removing Yorkshire’s two highest scorers this season.Eleven overs and one break for rain later, Ballance was dismissed for 55 after playing an 119-ball innings studded with fine drives but whose ending, cutting Chris Liddle loosely to Joyce at backward point, scarcely made the case for his restoration to England colours.Once again, therefore, the task of building a substantial total was left to batsmen below Yorkshire’s top five, a fact which has irritated Jason Gillespie even as his team has been lauded to the heavens. As usual, though, Yorkshire’s later batsmen responded, at least to the extent of taking their side from 140 for 5, when Ballance was out, to 241 for 7 at the close.Such a total is respectable enough on a wicket which is offering the seamers help, but the batsmen responsible for Yorkshire’s recovery were both dismissed by fine balls in the long evening session. Jack Leaning was caught at slip by Chris Jordan off Lewis Hatchett for 36 when the left-arm seamer moved one sharply off the pitch and seven balls before the end of play, which arrived unusually late for September at 6.15pm, Adil Rashid was caught behind off Chris Liddle for 53 when he pushed forward at one which straightened a little.Rashid’s fifty, all cuts through gully and wristy clips past midwicket, had shown care but also commitment, a quality shared by Gale’s batting at present. The Yorkshire captain is only 61 runs short of a thousand in the County Championship and other batsmen, notably Lees, might learn from a technique which seems uncluttered by doubt. In his 26 Division One innings this season, Lees has been dismissed between 10 and 40 on 14 occasions. He has the ability to play himself in, which is vital; then he seems to bat so tentatively that he gets out, which must be deeply frustrating.At times Lees seems like Macbeth wondering what will happen if he fails; Gale is like Lady Macbeth – a comparison rarely made, perhaps – exclaiming: “We fail!”, partly in disbelief that such a thing might occur. Considering the possibility increases the likelihood. Gale, one senses, does not depart to the pavilion wondering what might have happened if he had only thrown the kitchen sink and all his utensils at the ball.Sussex, for their part, can be quite happy with their work on the first day of this game. Magoffin, Hatchett and Liddle comprise a good trio of seamers but Yorkshire have bowlers of comparable or greater powers. The tough task before Joyce and his batsmen will be to bat more resolutely than they managed earlier in the season. If they do that, they can turn their attention to more relaxing matters and stop worrying what is going on at Trent Bridge and Taunton.

After breaking the 22-year-old record of Javed Miandad to become Pakistan’s leading Test run-scorer, Younis Khan said he has the hunger to aim for the 10,000-run mark.Younis went past Miandad’s tally of 8832 runs in emphatic style when he lofted Moeen Ali over deep midwicket shortly after tea on the opening day in Abu Dhabi. Given the prolific 12 months he has had – averaging over 80 since last October – the expectation was of something significant but he was not at his most fluent and chipped Stuart Broad to short mid-on for 38.But Younis was relieved to have ticked off the milestone, saying that it had been on his mind since he moved within touching distance during the series against Sri Lanka earlier this year.”I kept on thinking about crossing Javed , the greatest batsman Pakistan had. I might not be as skilful as he was but I am feeling privileged to cross him. Due credit should also be given to him because he is the one whom I have been following and heeding his advice to make it possible.”Younis admitted he was nervous as the landmark approached, describing Miandad’s two decade-old record as like a “wall” in front of him that he had to “jump” to get across.”I had to push myself,” he said. “The last two weeks had been difficult because of fatigue, traveling and that’s the reason I just went with fast-forwarding mode and wanted to just do it at once.”With one weight lifted from his shoulders, Younis is now refocussing himself for a final push in the closing stages of his career although he said he felt he had at least two more years left in him at international level.”I am not satisfied yet and I don’t want to be complacent with these records. I feel I can do more than this,” he said. “Every day is a new day, every innings is a new one and every moment in the game is a new one so I think of all the advice from Javed . I don’t want to relax and want to carry on with my runs.”Someday I might be satisfied with my goals and achievements but I am pushing myself for more. I believe in next the two years if I remain in the same mode I see myself bigger than this and would like to score 10,000 runs.”Ahead of the first Test against England, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq paid tribute to Younis’ role as a fulcrum of the middle order.”It’s always an honour to share dressing room with players like Younis Khan,” he said. “He has always been the key man in the Pakistan sides, so important for our wins and has been doing well for the last few years. He is really performing well with an average of 54 which is great and we always love the way he plays and the way he helps every other player, especially the youngsters and it’s an honour to play with him.”The other player Younis overtook, Inzamam-ul-Haq, narrowly failed to take the record off Miandad in 2007 when he was stumped for 3 in his final Test innings against South Africa in Lahore.

Lionel Mendis, popularly known as the father figure of cricket coaching in Sri Lanka, died on Friday, at the age of 80, after a long illness.It was on September 15 that Mendis, who was being treated for throat cancer at a private hospital in Colombo, celebrated his 80th birthday. The same month he had retired from coaching, bringing to an end a distinguished 29-year stint at Nondescripts CC where he ran his coaching school.Mendis was a key figure in the Sri Lanka cricket coaching arena and coached several former Sri Lanka cricketers, notably the country’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Mahela Jayawardene.The hallmark of Mendis’ coaching was the discipline he brought to ensure that each of his products ended up as a complete cricketer not only on the field but off it as well. At a recent felicitation ceremony given by former cricketers, Ranatunga said that Mendis had introduced a new sporting culture with his brand of coaching. “The specialty in him is his attitude to build a complete cricketer,” Ranatunga said. “He taught us how to dress, eat and how to behave in the ground. He respects the tradition and culture of our country and expects his students to follow good manners.”He never thought of earning money but spent his money on poor students. Every time he gave his students very important tips not just on cricket but also on life.”The ICC rewarded Mendis for his outstanding services to Sri Lanka cricket with an award during its centenary in 2009. Mendis’ brother Nelson Mendis is also a renowned cricket coach and at one time they were rival coaches of the two leading Buddhist schools in the country, Ananda College and Nalanda College.

The rejigging of the senior selection committee, and the announcement of six new Test centres – Pune, Ranchi, Indore, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam and Dharamsala – were among the major cricket-related decisions made at the BCCI’s AGM in Mumbai. While former India wicketkeeper MSK Prasad replaced Roger Binny as the South Zone selector, Gagan Khoda was drafted in place of Rajinder Singh Hans from Central Zone.The BCCI president Shashank Manohar felt the shake-up was necessary as he did not want Binny’s son, Stuart, to be done “injustice”.

November 17 deadline for DDCA to host SA Test

The Delhi & District Cricket Association has been given a deadline of November 17 to keep Feroz Shah Kotla ready to host the fourth Test between India and South Africa starting December 3. BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said if the DDCA missed the deadline, newly-announced Test venue Pune would host the match.
“The DDCA has to give us the requisite permissions [from civic bodies and security] by the 17th, if we don’t have the permissions from the DDCA by the 17th, the match will be given to Pune,” he said.

“As I said, the perception [of conflict of interest] has to change. I said there should not be injustice on Stuart Binny also,” Manohar said. “If he is a deserving player he should not get not flak from media that because he is Roger Binny’s son he is playing. We can’t destroy his career also.”Prasad’s candidature, on the other hand, was strongly backed by his home body, the Andhra Cricket Association, and the only other person said to be in the running was former Tamil Nadu and India batsman WV Raman. The TNCA, it is learnt, did not aggressively push Raman’s case as Manohar had already zoomed in on Prasad. “[TNCA president] N Srinivasan was very clear that no favours should be sought from anyone at the AGM,” a TNCA source said.Prasad had put in his papers as ACA cricket operations director – a position he has held for six years now – close to a week ago to ensure that his nomination did not violate any conflict-of-interest norms. Prasad felt his elevation would “give hope to all those players coming from nooks and corners of the country”.”I am a representative of the minnows of Indian cricket,” Prasad told ESPNcricinfo. “When somebody from some state can rise to this position, then as a player also anybody can rise to that position.”On how he would approach his new job, Prasad said he would look to replicate what he had done in Andhra: “I am very clear that the systems we have adopted in Andhra – the clarity of selection policy – which if I can place in front of you or anybody, it will be appreciated.”The inclusion of Khoda, the former Rajasthan and India batsman, was a bit of a surprise. Manohar explained the decision to drop Hans in characteristically pithy fashion: “Looking at his performance we decided to go for a new one.”The decision to grant Test status to six new centres, Manohar said, was because of the glut of home Tests India were set to play in 2016. “Next year we are going to have about 12 Test matches in India and each stadium has all the facilities of hosting international games,” Manohar said.There was little discussion, however, on whether the NCA would stay in Bangalore or be moved out. Niranjan Shah, the newly appointed chairman of the NCA board, told ESPNcricinfo that a decision on this would be made after the committee was fully constituted. “We didn’t discuss this at the meeting,” Shah said. “After Diwali, our committee will meet and discuss the future course of action. The whole committee has to be formed.” Shah also confirmed that the BCCI did not discuss the issue of DRS.There was also no discussion on the Cricket Advisory Committee that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. However, the board secretary Anurag Thakur confirmed that “all the three will remain”.Thakur also formally announced the introduction of contracts for women cricketers. “The women have also come under the contracted players. There will be two categories: category A and B. And they will paid Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh each,” he said.

Haryana with just 3 points have no chance of qualifying for the knockout phase. Perhaps this explained their lacklustre batting effortagainst Orissa at Cuttack. What would have hurt more is the fact thatHaryana won the toss and elected to bat.A combination of some effective bowling by leg spinner Jagannath Dasand a couple of run outs at the top of the innings stunned the Haryanainnings. Only Padamjeet Singh (51) and Parender Sharma (40) were up tothe task. The rest of the batting did not make scores worthy ofmention. Being knocked out for just 206, Das was easily the pick ofthe bowlers with 4/62 off his 19.5 overs.However, the drama was not over just then. After bowling Haryana outfor a small score, it would have taken only a steady battingperformance on Orissa’s part to put them in command on the firstday. However, they failed to do just that.Orissa were required to play out just eight overs, and in that shortperiod they suffered three causalities. Captain Shiv Sunder Das whohas had a good season with the bat succumbed to Jain after he had madejust 4 runs. P Das failed before he reached double figures and Orissawere in serious trouble at 12 for 2. In an attempt to stem the rot,Debashish Mohanty was sent as a nightwatchman. After surviving 15balls without scoring, Mohanty was trapped LBW by Sonu Sharma addingto Orissa’s woes. At the close of play Orissa were 17/3, not aposition they would have envisaged after bowling the opposition outfor 206.

Derbyshire needed only 20 minutes to wrap up the victory that keeps alive their slender chance of staying in Division One of the championship.Durham’s last four wickets went down in five overs as Derbyshire won by 232 runs, their first victory in any cricket since late June.The day began with Durham on 257-6, still 243 runs short of victory, and another blazing hot morning offered no prospect of rain coming to their rescue.In the end, Derbyshire wrapped up the contest in five overs with Kevin Dean and Tim Munton each taking two wickets.Dean started the slide with the first ball of the second over when John Wood was bowled with no addition to the total and after an edge to the third man boundary, Andy Pratt was caught behind off Munton for 21.Melvyn Betts was lbw to Dean and the end came when Steve Harmison pushedforward at Munton and was bowled, giving Derbyshire 15 points.Durham took only three points from the game which has dented their chances of staying up and although Derbyshire have given themselves a glimmer of hope, they still need Kent to collapse.They also need to get back the eight points that were deducted for a sub standard pitch against Surrey in June and negotiations with Lord’s are still ongoing.

Punjab’s spin troika dismissed Jammu & Kashmir for 168 on the firstday of their North Zone Ranji Trophy league match at Burlton Park inJalandhar today. Both sides had posted outright victories in theirpipeopeners last week, so a keen contest was expected. But J&K missedthe services of inspirational skipper Ajay Jadeja who has beensuspended from representative cricket until the Board completes aninquiry into the CBI’s findings.For their part Punjab were without young stars Reetinder Sodhi andSharandeep Singh who have been picked for the National CricketAcademy’s three day game against Zimbabwe beginning November 8.Legspinner Sandeep Sawal grabbed the opportunity to mop up 4/39 in21.3 overs. Sawal is rated highly by former India legspinner VV Kumarat whose MAC Spin Foundation in Chennai he trains.He was assisted by off spinner Harbhajan Singh and left arm spinnerNavdeep Singh who collected two wickets apiece. Kanwaljit Singh andIdais Gundroo – Jadeja’s replacement – were the only J&K batsmen tooffer some resistance. The duo added 73 for the fifth wicket beforeGadroo was bowled by Navdeep for 43. Kanwaljit was later castled bySawal for a defiant 54 (229 balls, 2 fours). From 122/4, the visitorslost their last six wickets for 46 runs, the innings terminating in96.3 overs to the last ball of the day.