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Manchester City have now submitted a huge offer for a “spectacular” star, as Pep Guardiola believes he could be the ideal addition to the forward line.

Man City eyeing new forward after victory at Nottingham Forest

Man City maintained the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, and Rayan Cherki put in another impressive performance.

Indeed, the Frenchman assisted Tijjani Reijnders’ opening goal, before going on to score the winner with just seven minutes left of normal time, and Guardiola singled out the 22-year-old for praise after the game.

Phil Foden has also been enjoying a solid campaign, registering seven goals and two assists in the Premier League, while the Blues have held advanced talks over a deal for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, whose £65m release clause expires on January 10th.

However, Man City have now submitted a huge bid for a different forward, according to a report from Spain, which states a €80m (£70m) offer has been tabled for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, as Pep believes the Brazilian would be the ideal addition to his attack.

The Spanish side have rejected the proposal, however, as it was structured as an initial €60m (£52m) payment, with €20m (£17m) in potential add-ons, and they are keen to receive £70m as a fixed sum.

City remain determined to get a move for the Madrid star over the line, but the La Liga side aren’t in a rush to cash-in, so it could be tricky to get a deal done.

Rodrygo could be "spectacular" signing for Man City

Lauded as “spectacular” by former manager Carlo Ancelotti, it is no surprise Man City are so keen on the 24-year-old, who has been in impressive form recently, grabbing two assists in Madrid’s 2-0 victory against Sevilla in La Liga last time out.

The Osasco-born winger also scored in his side’s 2-1 loss against City in the Champions League earlier this season, and he has contributed a whopping 70 goals and 55 assists in 291 outings for the Spanish side.

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Not only that, but the former Santos man is an extremely impressive dribbler of the ball, averaging 5.79 progressive carries per 90 over the past year, and 2.34 successful take-ons, which places him in the 94th and 91st percentiles, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

Related Pep Guardiola drops 2-word response about Antoine Semenyo joining Man City

The Bournemouth winger is in demand…

Posts 1 ByBen Goodwin

Rodrygo clearly has the talent to succeed at the Etihad Stadium, but it would not be a major blow if City miss out, given that Cherki and Foden have been in such impressive form, while they are also advancing to sign Semenyo, who has scored nine Premier League goals this term.

	Vikram Solanki: ‘I’m no expert on legal matters but it seems like restraint of trade’ © Getty Images

Former England batsman Vikram Solanki, who was in effect forced to withdraw from the Indian Cricket League or risk being barred from playing in England, has warned that such sanctions constitute a restraint of trade.Joining in the escalating debate on English cricketers’ role in the two leagues, Solanki also called on the Professional Cricketers’ Association to demand clarification from the England board as to why players are being prevented from playing in India when it does not conflict with existing contracts.”Sport in general is a short career for most people and you must take opportunities to maximise your earning potential,” Solanki told PA Sport. “I haven’t spoken to anyone in the England camp recently but I can see no reason why they wouldn’t be tempted by the sums of money that are being offered.”It’s unreasonable to place sanctions, restrictions, rules without giving good reason. I’m baffled by the reasoning offered sometimes for some of the sanctions and us as a group of players and the PCA should demand some clarity on the matter definitely. I’m no expert on legal matters but it seems like restraint of trade.”It remains to be seen what happens but in the next year or so, the face of cricket could change totally. People will find it hard to resist the money and that might be the big point that makes the changes to the traditional formats and seasons that we’ve grown accustomed to.”As for his own career, Solanki told PA Sport that he hoped his ICL involvement would not mean the end of his England chances. “I’d like to think if I had a reasonable year I’d have as good a chance as anyone of playing for England. This is what I mean about there being some reasoning behind if myself playing in the ICL should hinder my opportunities to play for England. If that is the case, then I haven’t quite figured that out yet.”

England will ponder their batting options with Ian Bell in doubt © Getty Images

A groin injury has sidelined Ian Bell ahead of England’s upcoming Twenty20 internationals against West Indies starting Thursday. Bell picked up the injury during fielding practice on Monday and will continue to be assessed.”Ian Bell underwent an ultrasound scan today [Tuesday] and has a minor grade one tear to his left groin following fielding practice,” the England Cricket Board (ECB) announced. “He’ll continue to be assessed.”Meanwhile batsman Jonathan Trott, one of the new faces in the squad, too suffered an injury scare when he hurt his left hand while batting in the nets. The ECB added that the results of the X-ray would be announced on Wednesday.England play two back-to-back Twenty20 games at the Oval starting Thursday, followed by three one-day internationals against West Indies beginning July 1 at Lord’s.

The players depart after the day-night match at Derby was delayed by sunset earlier this month © Getty Images

Derbyshire have submitted an extremely unusual request to the ECB to try to get round the problems with conditions at their ground which led to a day-night match earlier this month being delayed because of the setting sun. They have asked for permission to bowl all their overs from one end of the pitch.The square at the County Ground faces east-west, meaning that on sunny evenings the sun is almost directly behind one end of the pitch as it nears dusk. When Derbyshire played Nottinghamshire in a day-night match in the first week of June, the umpires suspended the game because bowlers were blinded as they ran in.Another less-than-acceptable alternative appears to be for play to be suspended for up to an hour while the sun sets, or for matches to be shortened.”When you have your biggest crowds of the season and people here who don’t normally watch cricket, you don’t want to have to explain to people why you aren’t playing on a lovely summer’s night,” Tom Sears, Derbyshire’s chief executive, explained to PA. “It seems a simple solution to a potential problem. As long as the boundaries are the same and the opposition are in agreement we can’t see a problem with it. There is a potential loss of six or seven overs. The same overs can be bowled at the same end in the second innings to make sure it’s fair.”The matter has been referred to the ECB with a decision set for Wednesday, which is too late for Derbyshire’s first Twenty20 contest of the summer on Tuesday. For once, county executives will be hoping that the weather then is anything but bright and sunny.

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Ashley Giles: took 3 for 47 as England pressed for victory © Getty Images

England completed a highly satisfying warm-up match – one that had seemed anunlikely starter after the torrential rains that greeted their arrival – asGareth Batty and Ashley Giles picked up six wickets between them in theirfirst outing of the tour. They couldn’t quite polish off an obdurate tail,as the BCB President’s XI reached the close on 143 for 9, but for Englandthe result mattered less than the practice.For the young Bangladeshi side, however – eight of whom are members of theU19 squad that will play in the World Cup here next March – survival was animpressive accomplishment, albeit aided by the weather on the first day. Ithad not seemed likely when seven wickets fell in rapid succession after tea,but Nadif Chowdhury and Gazi Alamgir gritted their teeth to carry the matchinto the final over of the day. A late twist seemed on the cards when SteveHarmison yorked Chowdhury for 26 with two balls remaining, but Enamul Haqueheld fast to deny England victory.Such resistance was unexpected after the Bangladeshi efforts in the firstinnings. They had teetered to 46 for 6 overnight, and England required justsix overs to wrap up proceedings for a paltry 57. Matthew Hoggard once againdisplayed the sort of form that he had consistently shown in Pakistan andSri Lanka three winters ago. He added three more wickets to his overnighthaul, to finish with 6 for 13 from 9.3 overs.In theory, the President’s XI had avoided the follow-on by four runs, butthere would never have been any intention of enforcing it, especially afterEngland had lost four wickets for no runs on the second afternoon. Insteadit was left to two of those victims, Graham Thorpe and Rikki Clarke, to getsome much-needed time in the middle. Thorpe was in supreme touch for his 47,but Clarke – whose place remains under threat from Paul Collingwood – wasless able to settle. He found the spinners particularly tricky to handle,and when he was finally bowled by Enamul for 19, England declared on 69 for1, and lunch was taken.Martin Saggers made England’s first breakthrough in the tenth over of theresumption, when Chris Read pulled off a fine one-handed catch in front offirst slip to remove Nadif Iqbal for 20 (36 for 1). But Aftab Ahmed, verymuch a candidate for next week’s first Test, lead the resistance with asparkling 45 that included four fours and a mighty pulled six off Clarke.But Clarke had his revenge in his very next over, when Aftab was trappedlbw, and the innings frittered away. Hannan Sarkar’s patient 16 soon came toan end as Giles won his first lbw appeal of the day, and Batty entered theattack from the opposite end to provide the final touch to England’spreparations.The spinners wheeled away, with great accuracy but no spectacular turn, andseven wickets tumbled for 37 as the inexperience of the Bangladeshisthreatened to be their undoing. But Chowdhury and Alamgir rallied the tailto ensure that first blood in this tour has yet to be drawn.

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Brian Lara: cometh the hour …© Getty Images

The third day of the third Test at Bridgetown will probably decide the outcome of this match, and much depends on whether Brian Lara can find his touch. After two wretched matches in Jamaica and Trinidad, he looked to be finding his form in the first innings, and was out on the ground early today to familiarise himself with the conditions. He had the look of a man with a point to prove.The first session will be crucial. Neither side’s batsmen – with the marked exception of Graham Thorpe – have managed to really stamp their authority, and runs have been at a premium throughout. Today will probably offer the best conditions for batting, and West Indies must make the most of that and look to set England a target in excess of 250.Another full house – once again predominantly sunburnt and English – packed into Kensington Oval before the start, and there were a few more clouds than there had been on the first two days to give them some relief from the sun.

Following the announcement last week that Sir Vivian Richards would be making an appearance at the County Ground for Lashings C.C. later this summer, Somerset have been inundated with enquiries regarding tickets.The match against Lashings C.C. will take place on Monday July 21st starting at 1pm, and is certain to be one of the highlights of the Somerset County Cricket Club Appeal Year.In response to the early interest in the return of Sir Viv to the club where he started his career, Somerset have announced that the match will be all ticket, and that everybody will pay.Admission for non-members will be £10 for adults and £5 for juniors under the age of 16, whilst admission for members will be £5 and £2 for juniors.Tickets can be purchased on the gate on the day of the match, but they can also be purchased in advance by calling in person at the Main Office in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion at the County Ground which will be open Monday to Friday between 9.00 a.m.and 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m., or by telephoning on 01823 272946 with a credit card.Tickets purchased in advanced however are non refundable.The Appeal Year Opening Lunch will take place on Friday April 4th at the County Ground when former Somerset player Roy Palmer, who is now a First Class umpire, will be the guest speaker.Tickets for the lunch are priced at £27.50 and are available from Robert Appleyard, telephone number 01225 313906.

It has been drizzling for four days and the BKSP grounds are completely wet. The ground where the National Squad always carry on their net practice is absolutely unworkable. The cricketers are keeping on their net practice sessions in the Indoor of BKSP.For Saturday and Sunday, the team completed its fielding sessions in the rain-drenched ground-1. But it was impossible to run that yesterday. Both fielding and net practice were done in the Indoor." Certainly the rain is hampering the practice. You see it makes a lot of difference between playing in the field and in the Indoor. We hardly practiced in the ground this week, " conceded Habibul Bashar." I am afraid we are not getting enough practice matches this time which is very vital before playing with teams like Pakistan, India or Sri Lanka. And we have to play all those in the overseas grounds. We played a good number of practice matches before the Zimbabwe Tour. Now we are missing it, " said he.Bikash Ranjan Das looked a bit erratic when he was trying to pitch the ball too fast. Trevor Chappell gave him some guidelines quickly. He seemed meditative and was keeping a keen eye on his boys.Mohammad Sharif, one of the youngest members of the side, is missing the practice sessions. This quick bowler got himself hurt in the shoulder while attempting a catch in net sessions a week before. Gavin Benjafield and a local physiotherapist were taking care of a gloomy Sharif who is hopeful about joining the practice soon.The squad is going to attend the Test Cap giving ceremony in Winter Garden at Hotel Sheraton, Dhaka tonight.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has been fined 40% of his match fee for maintaining a slow over rate during the first ODI against India in Kanpur, while his team-mates were docked 20% of their match fees.The charge was laid by the on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Vineet Kulkarni, the TV umpire Chettithody Shamshuddin, and the reserve umpire Anil Dandekar. The fine was imposed by the match referee Chris Broad, who ruled that South Africa were two overs short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. De Villiers pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.De Villiers had previously been found guilty of minor over-rate offences on two occasions in the last 12 months, and subsequently served a one-match suspension during the first ODI against Bangladesh in July. If South Africa commit another over-rate breach in ODIs within 12 months with de Villiers as captain, it will be deemed a second offence by de Villiers and he will again face a suspension.South Africa won the first ODI by five runs, thanks to a 73-ball 104 from de Villiers, who was named Man of the Match.

Rangers are one of the clubs eyeing in-demand Scottish youngster Luke Graham, according to The Courier’s George Cran. 

The lowdown

The 18-year-old centre-back is yet to make a first-team appearance for Mark McGhee’s first team at Dundee, but his ‘stature’ and ‘ability on the ball’ have apparently caught the eye of academy recruitment staff.

Graham is currently in the midst of a week-long trial at English Championship outfit Sheffield United, who may choose to offer him a deal if they like what they see.

The latest

Sharing his article via Twitter, Cran said that Rangers are one of the ‘big clubs having a look’ at Graham, with ‘more interest’ emerging.

The Gers had scouts watching him in action on Saturday, as did their arch-rivals Celtic and Premier League giants Arsenal.

Cran wrote that Dundee ‘have a fight on their hands’ to retain Graham before he has even played for their senior team.

The verdict

If Rangers win the intensifying race for his signature, then Graham will probably slot into their B team at first, but the signing would very much be regarded as one for the future.

The Gers themselves are struggling to keep hold of one of their brightest prospects in Rory Wilson, who has resisted a lucrative deal and advances from Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson as he eyes a move to a Premier League club (via Football Insider).

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They are now looking to prise away a coveted young starlet from Dundee, who sit bottom of the Premiership and on course to be relegated, in what is perhaps a further illustration of the footballing food chain.

In other news, Ally McCoist fumes at an ‘inexcusable’ error from one Rangers star