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Everton have now been provided with an update on their pursuit of Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto by Rudy Galetti, with the journalist indicating the move could now be getting closer…

Is Wilfried Gnonto leaving Leeds?

Having refused to play for Leeds, Gnonto has now handed in a transfer request to ensure he gets his move this summer, and Everton have made their interest clear, having previously had a number of bids turned down.

At first, Leeds had been unwilling to sanction the winger's departure, but his refusal to play may eventually force their hand, as he continues to push for a move to Goodison Park, where he is thought of in very high regard by manager Sean Dyche.

Linking up with the Toffees would give the Italian the best possible chance of being selected in his country's European Championships squad next summer, which is a big reason why he is so keen on the move, and a new bid may be on its way soon.

After having their latest offer, which amounted to £25m, knocked back by Leeds, Everton are now likely to make a final bid this week, which is set to be in the region of £30m, with crucial talks between the two clubs pencilled in over the next few days.

On the player's side of things, an agreement has already been reached in principle, with meetings taking place as far back as spring, and Galetti has now provided another update on the 19-year-old's stance about a move to Merseyside.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, the journalist clarified that a move to Goodison Park is the best option on the table for the youngster at the moment, meaning he is now committed to the move:

“Everton are focused on signing a new offensive player. We’ve previously discussed that Gnonto represents the main target.

“After the initial hesitation of the Italian player, he’s now given the green light for the move, especially because he doesn't want to play in the Championship and also because there are no other interesting alternatives for him to leave Leeds.

“Now, he's out of the squad, and Everton are pushing hard with the player leveraging also on his side to make the move happen.”

However, since then, Phil Hay has revealed that the Italian is back in training with Leeds after missing the last three games.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

As of February 12th last season, the starlet had recorded the second-highest WhoScored match rating of any under 21 in the Premier League, and he could now be ready to kick on and improve on his tally of two goals and four assists in the top flight.

It has been well-documented that the Toffees are not in the best financial state, so £30m would be a huge sum to fork out on one, relatively unproven Premier League player, but journalist Joe Donnohue believes he has "considerable potential."

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

If Everton's next bid for Gnonto is knocked back, it could make sense to move on and pursue other targets, with Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi recently emerging as a potential alternative who may well be a lot cheaper.

However, if Leeds do soften their stance and accept a £30m offer for the Italy international, then he could be a solid long-term addition to Dyche's squad.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany could be trumped by several clubs – and one particularly close to home – in the hunt to sign a promising young striker this summer, according to recent reports.

Is Derry Scherhant going to Burnley?

According to reports, Burnley have 'shown interest' in Hertha Berlin forward Derry Scherhant this window and even made an enquiry regarding his availability.

However, their arch-rivals Blackburn Rovers have emerged as genuine suitors to land Scherhant on a loan deal, and both suitors also face further competition for the 20 year-old from Sky Bet Championship outfits Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End, as per Football Insider.

Earlier in the window, Telegraph Sport revealed that Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United were keen to add Scherhant to their 'pool of emerging talent' and it was said at the time that a fee of around £1.5 million would suffice to bring the Germany Under-20 international to the Premier League.

Bringing in young talent that can eventually push for first-team involvement at Newcastle United has become a long-term strategy for sporting director Dan Ashworth; nevertheless, it looks as if any move for Scherhant has died down at St James' Park for now.

Nottingham Forest have also been touted as a potential destination for Scherhant and were reported to be reading a bid of £1.8 million for the starlet, according to Football Insider, so he is player a man in demand.

Cited by The Burnley Express, Kompany has spoken about the chaotic nature of Burnley's transfer window so far and how he has managed to navigate a high turnover regarding his squad, stating: “Yeah, I think we always did anticipate it would have to be that busy. To make it less busy, that’s why we did four or five transfers in January last season because we knew it was going to be the same as what we experienced 12 months ago.

How good is Derry Scherhant?

Scherhant is obviously a talented youngster who has attracted eyes from around the English game owing to his promise; however, it is unclear whether he would be able to break into Burnley's starting side at present due to having limited senior experience under his belt.

In his senior career, the 20-year-old has featured 11 times for Hertha Berlin, getting himself on the scoresheet once against Borussia Monchengladbach last term, as per Transfermarkt.

His exploits in Hertha Berlin's second string have reason to be admired however, with the German youngster notching 27 goals and eleven assists from 48 outings.

Capable of playing either on the flank or as an out-and-out number nine, Berlin-born Scherhant would certainly provide excitement and flair wherever he ends up playing his football this term; nevertheless, he will need regular senior involvement to fulfil his true potential, which may be more likely at one of Blackburn, Preston or QPR.

Football Insider report that Burnley had a bid of £10 million rising to £12 million turned down for Sunderland winger Jack Clarke this window and it is said that the Wearside outfit are demanding £15 million for the Englishman before agreeing to sanction his exit from the Stadium Of Light.

Believed to retain an 'active interest' in the 22-year-old, this could signal that Kompany has turned his attention elsewhere for potential offensive additions.

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Alexandre Pato foi titular do São Paulo no único jogo de mata-mata do time na temporada e, 21 dias depois, entrou em acordo com a diretoria para rescindir o seu contrato.

O que explica tamanha mudança de rumo em apenas três semanas? De acordo com quem acompanha o dia a dia do São Paulo, tudo começou porque Fernando Diniz se decepcionou com a postura do atacante nos dias seguintes à derrota para o Mirassol, pelo Paulistão, e decidiu que não valia a pena contar com ele.

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Não há relatos de um ato de indisciplina ou de uma briga entre atleta e treinador. A insatisfação seria com uma suposta falta de competitividade no dia a dia, algo que pessoas mais próximas a Pato garantem que não aconteceu.

A opção de Diniz foi ficando evidente aos poucos. Já nos primeiros treinos após o vexame do Estadual, Pato perdeu a vaga na equipe titular para Liziero, mudança que seria posta em prática contra o Goiás, pela primeira rodada do Brasileirão (o jogo acabou sendo adiado) e foi confirmada contra o Fortaleza, na quinta-feira passada. Nem o edema na coxa esquerda de Vitor Bueno, que o tirou do jogo contra os cearenses de última hora e abriu uma vaga no ataque, mudou a situação: o técnico escalou Paulinho Boia como titular. Para piorar, fez só duas das cinco substituições possíveis e não tirou o camisa 7 do banco.

As conversas para rescisão de contrato começaram no dia seguinte a esta partida, sexta-feira. Pato viajou ao Rio de Janeiro para o duelo contra o Vasco, no último domingo, já sabendo que dificilmente jogaria. Novamente, passou os 90 minutos no banco. Dessa vez a situação foi ainda pior, já que Diniz acionou até Gonzalo Carneiro, que não jogava havia mais de um ano, na busca pela virada.

Foi a gota d’água. Pato iniciou a semana convicto de que o melhor caminho era romper o contrato, a ponto de abrir mão de R$ 35 milhões que teria a receber até o fim do vínculo, em dezembro de 2022, o que inclui algumas luvas atrasadas.

A diretoria do São Paulo, que já considerava o custo-benefício do jogador muito ruim, agora comemora a economia em meio à crise financeira. O salário de Pato era um dos mais altos do elenco, incompatível para um atleta que não goza de prestígio com o treinador.

O clube já sabia que poderia ter dificuldades para bancá-lo quando o contratou, em 2019. Na época, pressionado pela concorrência do Palmeiras, que ficou bem perto de acertar com o atacante, o São Paulo topou fazer um contrato longo mesmo que o nome não fosse unanimidade internamente. O técnico da ocasião, Cuca, chegou a manifestar à diretoria que não gostaria de tê-lo como reforço por não apreciar suas características, mas acabou convencido. Pesaram os pedidos insistentes da torcida.

Para superar o rival, que oferecia um contrato só até dezembro de 2019 e estipulava metas a serem cumpridas para que uma renovação fosse efetuada, o São Paulo prometeu a Pato um salário menor até o fim do ano passado, mas a segurança de que os valores aumentariam substancialmente a partir de janeiro de 2020 sem a necessidade de bater qualquer meta. Para arcar com os custos desta e de outras contratações recentes, a diretoria apostava em um aumento de receitas que nunca veio, até porque a equipe não conquistou títulos desde então. Pior: a inesperada paralisação do futebol devido à Covid-19 asfixiou de vez as finanças do clube e tornou inviável a manutenção da folha salarial. Por isso, além de Pato, também saíram Anderson Martins e Everton (em troca com Luciano).

Interlocutores de Pato garantem que ele não tem acordo com outro clube. O Internacional, clube que o revelou e pelo qual foi campeão mundial em 2006, é o principal candidato a contratá-lo, mas já avisou que não chegará perto dos salários que ele tinha no Morumbi.

A diferença entre os vencimentos dele no São Paulo e o que o Colorado pode pagar tornou inviável um acordo para troca de jogadores. Um nome que chegou a ser debatido no Tricolor foi o do meio-campista Nonato, de 22 anos, mas o assunto não andou.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is reportedly disappointed with the treatment he has received at Chelsea, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The winger is set to call time on his Chelsea career this summer five seasons after breaking into the first team under former boss Maurizio Sarri.

Is Callum Hudson-Odoi leaving Chelsea?

It looks increasingly likely that the former England youth international will depart Stamford Bridge this summer.

A number of teams are interested in bringing in the player who was once the subject of a £70m offer from German giants Bayern Munich. The player has been training with the Blue's under-21 side since returning to pre-season, with manager Mauricio Pochettino making it clear that the 22-year-old is not a part of his plans for next season.

One side that is reportedly interested is Italian side Lazio, who are managed by the winger's former coach Sarri, with the Italian said to be "pushing" the Rome sides interest in the attacker. However, the club have not held any discussions with the player yet as they weigh up the parameters regarding a potential loan move, which is said would include an obligation to buy rather than an option to buy. A reason behind why the Italian's may be pursuing a loan deal in the forwards £120k per week wages, which have priced both Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace out of a move.

The favourites for the winger's signature however are Premier League outfit Fulham. The Cottagers have already agreed personal terms with Hudson-Odoi and are preparing a second bid in the region of £4m according to Fabrizio Romano after their initial bid was rejected earlier this month. The Italian journalist has stated that despite Chelsea wanting a fee in the region of £8m, Fulham are confident that the deal will be completed in the next days.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown stated that Hudson-Odoi will be disappointed that he wasn't able to reach his potential at Stamford Bridge due to a number of factors: "I think he'll certainly be disappointed with the way that it's gone for him at Chelsea. When he broke through, people really expected big things from him. But, from his point of view, he has never 100% believed that the club have the kind of faith in him that he wanted them to show.

They've signed a lot of players over the years in positions that he can play in. Various managers have tried to slot him into slightly different roles. Obviously, he came quite close to leaving for Bayern Munich at one point, only for Chelsea to slam the door shut on that. I think he is not terribly pleased with the way that Chelsea have treated him over the years."

Will Chelsea replace Hudson-Odoi this window?

Chelsea are still looking to strengthen their frontline this window.

The Blues have already made two additions to their attack this summer, with Frenchman Christopher Nkunku joining from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £52m. The club also completed the signing of Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal on an eight-year deal for a fee of over £30m. Both have already made their first appearances for the club in pre-season and have impressed. Despite this, the club are still looking at potential forward additions.

One player linked with a move is Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. According to Football Insider, the Frenchman has a release clause of £35m that Chelsea could activate to bring their former youth product back to the club, however they will face stiff competition from Manchester City, with Citizens boss Pep Guardiola seeing the youngster as the ideal Riyad Mahrez replacement. Another player the Blues are interested in is Mohamed Kudus, with David Ornstein reporting that the London club have held discussions with both Ajax as well as the players representatives regarding a potential move, with reports stating that an agreement is close to being reached on personal terms

Crystal Palace have lacked a prolific goalscorer at Premier League level for a number of years now, but that may be about to change as they have reportedly entered the race to sign Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun.

Is Folarin Balogun staying at Arsenal?

Balogun has been with Arsenal for the past 14 years and made his senior debut in October 2020, but he has made just two Premier League appearances for the club.

After starring on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims last season, it has been widely reported that the United States international could be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium this summer.

According to CBS, Palace have joined London rivals West Ham United in showing an interest in Balogun, who The Sun reports is valued at £35m by the Gunners.

Balogun is currently part of Arsenal's pre-season tour of the USA, but both the player and manager Mikel Arteta have admitted they are unsure what the future holds.

Where would Folarin Balogun fit in at Crystal Palace?

The 22-year-old enjoyed a season to remember on loan at Reims last season, scoring 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances to finish behind only Jonathan David (24), Alexandre Lacazette (27) and Kylian Mbappe (29) in the scoring charts.

To put that into some perspective, Eberechi Eze finished top of the Premier League scoring charts for Palace with just ten goals in 38 games. Next on the list was Wilfried Zaha with seven goals, followed by Odsonne Edouard (five), Jordan Ayew (four) and Jeffrey Schlupp (three).

Roy Hodgson could do with a prolific goalscorer, then, one that has not been seen at this level by Palace supporters since Andy Johnson in the 2004-05 campaign.

That was the last time a Palace player scored 20 or more goals in a Premier League season, with Johnson netting 21 in total to finish second only to Arsenal great Thierry Henry (25) on the list of top scorers.

Johnson scored at a rate of 0.57 goals per 90 minutes that season, as per FBref, which compares to 0.63 per 90 for Balogun at Reims last season.

Palace have had ten years in the top flight since then, and Christian Benteke (2016-17) and Zaha (2021-22) are the only players to have struck 15 times in a single campaign.

Balogun, having already done so at Ligue 1 level, looks more than capable of repeating the trick in the Premier League.

Described as an "ambitious" player by Arteta for wanting to prove himself away from Arsenal, Balogun ranked in the top 10% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues for goals scored last season, as per The Analyst, and in the top 10% for touches in the opposition box.

Ayew, who was Palace's most-used forward last season, was in the bottom 9% and bottom 25% respectively in those two key attacking metrics.

As the seventh-lowest scoring side in the division last season, there is no doubt that Palace are in need of more goals. In Balogun, they have not only an upgrade on what they already have but a player who could finally replicate Johnson in hitting the magic 20-goal mark.

أكد المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، أهمية تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية في مباراة مانشستر سيتي في ذهاب دور الثمانية من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي يوم غدًا، الثلاثاء، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | روديجر: أحلم بمواجهة مانشستر سيتي وهالاند.. ولا أحد يقارن بـ ريال مدريد

وتحدث أنشيلوتي عن المواجهة في مؤتمره الصحفي خاصة وأنها المباراة رقم 200 له في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وقال: “الشيء الأهم هو الحصول على أفضل نتيجة ممكنة”.

وتابع: “كان لدينا الوقت من أجل الاستعداد لتلك المباراة وأثق من أننا سنحصل على نتيجة إيجابية قبل مباراة العودة”.

واستمر: “لا نفكر في الحكام وقراراتهم قبل أو أثناء المباراة، هناك أشياء أهم علينا التفكير فيها، لدينا 4 لاعبين مهددون بالإيقاف عن مباراة الإياب ويجب علينا التركيز”.

وإمكانية خسارة ناتشو وتشواميني للبطاقات المتراكمة: “لقد تم تحذيرهما بالفعل، لكنني أركز في مباراة الغد أهم من الإياب، يجب أن نفوز”.

وأضاف: “أتوقع مباراة مثيرة وجذابة لجميع من يحب كرة القدم، أتمنى أن تكون جميلة ولكنها ستكون مختلفة بالطبع عما حدث في السنوات الماضية، هناك أشياء نتفوق فيها وكذلك مانشستر سيتي”.

والمقارنة مع جوارديولا: “هذا لا يزعجني، بيب مدرب عظيم ولا يزعجني ما يعتقد الناس عني بقدر تقدير النادي الذي أعمل فيه”.

وعن سوء الأداء في مباراة الإياب ضد مانشستر سيتي في النسخة الماضية: “لم تكن لنا أي شخصية ولم نلعب بشجاعة، هذان جانبان مهمان للغاية، كانت لدينا مشاكل ذهنية وفنية”.

وغياب كايل ووكر: “اعتقد أن اللاعبين المتواجدين في أرض الملعب سيجيدون حسم المباراة، هذه المواجهات تحسم من خلال تفاصيل صغيرة للغاية، اعتقد أن مانشستر سيتي أجاد التعامل مع غياباته الدفاعية”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “أشعر ببعض التوتر قبل المباريات دائمًا، الهزيمة تعني المعاناة، وهي جزء من وظيفتنا كمدربين، أم الفوز يمنح الارتياح لبعض الأيام، تبقيك على قيد الحياة مثل البنزين”.

والتغيير الذي طرأ على ريال مدريد: “لدينا بعض التغييرات أهمها أن كريم بنزيما ليس لدينا في الموسم الحالي، هذا ما منحنا حرية أكثر في الهجوم، علينا أن نكون أقوى”.

وعن التشكيل: “لم أبلغ أي لاعب بذلك، لدينا شكوك حول مركز واحد فقط وسأتحدث مع اللاعبين غدًا”.

Leeds United wide pair Jack Harrison and Wilfried Gnonto don't have relegation clauses in their current contracts, according to a fresh claim.

Who have Leeds signed this summer?

The Whites suffered the misery of relegation from the Premier League to the Championship last season, with a heavy defeat at home to Tottenham on the final day sealing their fate.

It was a desperately disappointing campaign, both in terms of results and performances, as Leeds got through three different managers and flattered to deceive hugely on the pitch.

Daniel Farke has now taken charge at Elland Road, with the German tasked with ensuring his side make a speedy return to the Premier League at the first opportunity. Two promotions with Norwich City certainly stand the Whites in good stead, but in order for it to happen, new signings may well be required before the summer transfer window comes to an end.

There have been no new incomings yet this summer – understandable, considering Farke has only recently been appointed and will want his own players – but additions will surely arrive sooner rather than later.

Leeds could also lose a number of key players, however, with Harrison and Gnonto falling into that bracket, but a positive update has at least emerged regarding their respective futures.

What's the latest on Harrison and Gnonto?

According to Football Insider, neither Harrison nor Gnonto have release clauses included in their current deals, meaning they can't automatically force a move away from the club in the summer transfer window:

"Jack Harrison and Wilfried Gnonto do not have a relegation release clause in their Leeds United contracts, sources have told Football Insider. A host of Leeds stars have clauses in their contracts that allow them to leave on loan following their exit from the top flight but Harrison and Gnonto are two stars that do not.

"Football Insider has learned that the attacking duo don’t have the loan clause attached but they are two players that have significant interest in their services this summer."

While this certainly doesn't mean that Harrison and Gnonto will now stay put at Leeds beyond the summer, it is at least encouraging that won't definitely be off, as has been the case with others, such as Brenden Aaronson, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente, who have joined Union Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Roma respectively.

Granted, both wide players could still demand a move away, not wanting to be playing in the Championship next season, but their contracts do at least put the Whites in a stronger bargaining position.

If they could keep hold of one of Harrison or Gnonto, it could make the difference between Leeds sealing promotion or not, with the duo two of the brightest attacking sparks at Elland Road, registering 18 goal contributions between them in the Premier League last season.

Should that not happen, though, it is essential that the club get as much money for their signatures as possible, generating more funds for Farke this summer in the process.

Manchester United have not accepted "a more flexible offer" from Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, and any potential deal that sees the Glazer maintain their position at United would need the board's support, claims journalist Ben Jacobs.

Manchester takeover news – What's the latest?

Another week passes, and yet the potential sale of one of the biggest sports teams in the world still seems no closer than it did a few weeks ago.

It has been seven months since the Glazers first announced they were looking for outside investment for the club, news that was celebrated almost like a title win by many fans of the club who have long opposed the American families' ownership of their football club.

Yet, over half a year later, they are still firmly in control.

There have been three rounds of bidding for the Red Devils, which have left Ratcliffe's INEOS-supported bid and the Qatari bid fronted by Sheikh Jassim as the two most serious parties.

While it is hard to genuinely gauge the feelings of such a massive and international fan base, Ratcliffe's offer to buy just 51% of the club and allow the Glazers to keep a stake of around 20% is unlikely to sit well with much of the support.

What has journalist Ben Jacobs said about the Manchester United takeover?

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "INEOS, with a more flexible offer for control of the football club, have never at the point we're recording this anyway been put in exclusivity, nor have they obviously completed a deal for the football club.

"And the reason for that is because even if the Glazers like the offer on the table that could allow Joel and Avram to stay, it's still got to get board approval."

What other sports teams does Jim Ratcliffe own?

Should Ratcliffe and INEOS get their way this summer and become the majority owners of United, it'll be the British Billionaires' fifth sports organisation and his third football club for which he will be the majority owner.

The first football team he purchased was the Swiss super league outfit FC Lausanne-Sport. He bought the team back in 2017, and things immediately went wrong, with the side being relegated in his first year of ownership, coming back up the following year.

The second side in his stable of European football teams is the slightly more prestigious Ligue 1 side, Nice.

INEOS took control of the French club in 2019, and since then, things have gone okay for the club, finishing fifth in 2020, ninth in 2021, fifth again in 2022 and finally ninth again last year.

The 70-year-old businessman also owns the sailing team Ineos Britannia and the cycling team Ineos Grenadiers which has competed in the Tour de France.

If the lifelong United fan really wants to add the historic club to that list and win the fans onside, he might want to reconsider the offer to keep the Glazers onboard.

A look back at the week that was in the WBBL, ahead of the week that will be the final leg of the tournament

Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins19-Jan-2017

Yes, ties, plural. We’re misquoting on purpose here. Each season has one game more memorable than the rest, and January 14 was probably it. The two Sydney sides make you think of close matches, after last year’s thrilling final, but it doesn’t get any closer than two ties in the same match. Once in regulation play, again after the Super Over.And how the pendulum swung throughout. First the Sixers lost their powerful openers cheaply, then surged back through Ash Gardner’s hitting with Sarah McGlashan in support. Thunder’s experienced heads kept being influential, Rene Farrell and Stafanie Taylor with the early wickets, Erin Osborne getting McGlashan, then captain Alex Blackwell proving she can do anything, stumping Gardner off Taylor as a makeshift wicketkeeper.Twenty-three off the last three overs was below-par given the platform, and Thunder should have chased it easily thanks to Taylor’s 68 from 51 balls. She was out in the second-last over leaving 11 required from ten balls, but Osborne and Naomi Stalenberg couldn’t find the boundary, a succession of singles bringing them level.Enter Kim Garth, the Irish seamer occupying the Sixers’ international rookie spot. She hadn’t been near the playing XI until the previous day, but with Marizanne Kapp absent due to South Africa duties, the 20-year-old was being thrown the ball by Ellyse Perry for the highest-pressure job.She did it with distinction – four singles and a couple of twos. And when Alyssa Healy charged Farrell first ball for a lofted four, that should have been it. But her calamitous running undid that work. Healy drove straight to the bowler and ran blindly; Perry was hesitant, and then, expecting the gathered deflection to be thrown to the struggling Perry’s end, Healy didn’t bother to extend her bat into the non-striker’s ground and was instead run-out herself at point-blank range.Perry carved two through cover to reduce the target to three, then holed out next ball to long-on. Why the cool head of McGlashan wasn’t employed is a mystery, but Angela Reakes skewed a single and was run-out reneging on an impossible second. With one ball to face and two runs needed, Gardner could only slam a single to cover, Farrell standing over the stumps with ball in hand to render the second impossible. Fourteen boundaries to 16 was the countback – thanks largely to Taylor’s nine – and Thunder won on that technicality.The ties that defineThe thrill for the Thunder only lasted two days, before they stumbled against Hobart Hurricanes and again undermined their bid for the top four. And so it is down to the frenetic final weekend, a format we have become accustomed to in WBBL.Eight of 55 games remain in the regular season, and teams pair off to play the same opponent twice over consecutive days on Friday and Saturday. There are four likely candidates to make the finals, though other sides could yet force their way in.The Sixers are guaranteed a spot even with two losses. Brisbane Heat sit fifth, but can force their way well into considerations with two home games against the bottom-placed Adelaide Strikers.Perth’s Scorchers will finish top-two if they win twice against the inconsistent Thunder, but could be jumped if they lose once and Hobart Hurricanes win twice.Hobart is indeed where the main action will be, given the Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars are currently third and fourth, and their mid-table clash will dictate fate for so many teams beyond their own.Hobart is where the action will be heading for the final round•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

The sides that are boundEarthbound, that is. Those who have struggled to lift off, and now look to snatch the trailing rope of a rising hot-air balloon for a last miracle ascent – Thunder and Renegades.In short, if the Stars and Hurricanes split their contest one game each, neither of those two sides can pass them. But if either loses twice, and Brisbane loses once, the Thunder can still sneak in by beating Perth twice.The Renegades would need to beat the Sixers twice while relying on the Thunder to lose one, Brisbane to lose both, and one of the Stars-Hurricanes double to lose both. Tough gig.Adelaide Strikers cannot make the finals, and are left to work out what went wrong this season and address it for next time.The side left behindAs for the Melbourne Stars, it’s all a bit too familiar. Still in the top four, but after a torrid run of form since Christmas, they’re back in the same position as last season: a sudden death last round to qualify for the finals, with no momentum behind them. Last year it didn’t end well.In the penultimate weekend of group games they finished off the Strikers for the second time in a week, Jess Cameron’s 42 pushing the required chase above six an over before Adelaide again collapsed.But the fixture that mattered came later against Perth. It started well – they knocked over the international trio of Elyse Villani, Nicole Bolton and Suzie Bates inside six overs. Then the cavalry came in the form of Lauren Ebsary, unbeaten on 45, and Katherine Brunt’s fast 32.Sure enough, after Meg Lanning was removed early by Brunt, the Stars couldn’t rally and were held to a meek 97 in 20 overs. That made four losses in six starts. Melbourne’s early-season wins mean their destiny remains in their own hands. Just.The Stars’ destiny remains in their own hands•Getty Images

The sides that flyLast year the Scorchers underperformed relative to their strength on paper. Second time up they’ve earned their progress. The Stars limping run chase was in no small part due to Brunt and her England partner Anya Shrubsole pairing off with the new ball for Perth. Duos don’t come more frugal or effective.Perth didn’t miss out on more points against the Strikers either, led by impressive 20-year-old Heather Graham, a consistent contributor with bat and ball throughout WBBL02. Her 39 not out in 30 balls steered her side home.Brisbane’s Heat have found form at the right time, coinciding with Beth Mooney doing likewise at the top of the list. Her 45 was enough for an easy win over the Renegades, combining for another half-century stand with Kirby Short.They lost the reverse fixture due to a Duckworth-Lewis chase, but that wouldn’t have cost them much sleep. What will is that Indian signing Smriti Mandhana has torn an ACL, ends her WBBL and potentially a lot more cricket in 2017. A blow for a talented young player.Meanwhile, the Hurricanes keep on doing what they do best – finding new ways to win. After the Sixers knocked them off to begin the weekend, courtesy of Perry clocking yet another match-winning innings, the pressure was on when they returned home to face Thunder.Julie Hunter got superstar Staf Taylor for zero, before Kiwi international Amy Satterthwaite reinforced why she is one of the form players on the planet with 5 for 17. The Canes’ chase of 116 was never in doubt, and the team is never to be underestimated.

Three wickets from Samit Patel and unbeaten knocks from Sabbir Rahman and James Franklin took Rajshahi Kings into the BPL final

Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRajshahi Kings removed the Khulna Titans openers with run-outs•BCB

Rajshahi Kings made light work of Khulna Titans in the second qualifier on their way to the BPL final, against Dhaka Dynamites, completing a seven-wicket win in Mirpur. In front of a small crowd at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, they restricted Khulna to a below-par 125 for 9 before knocking off the total with four balls to spare.Their efficient bowling performance ensured a maiden appearance in the tournament’s final after their previous franchise (Duronto Rajshahi) failed to do so in the 2012 and 2013 editions.But it was not an altogether smooth chase for Rajshahi. They lost their openers Mominul Haque and Nurul Hasan within 4.2 overs after which youngster Afif Hossain led the recovery with a 33-run third-wicket stand with Sabbir Rahman. He fell lbw to Mahmudullah in the 12th over after hitting three fours in his 27-ball 26.Sabbir batted in an unusual subdued manner before unleashing his first six off the 35th delivery. His unbeaten 43 off 52 balls broke a three-week low which started one innings after his 122 against Barisal Bulls.His unbroken 62-run fourth wicket stand with James Franklin calmly completed the chase, with Franklin contributing an unbeaten 30 off 24 balls. His first six, a big one down the ground, completed the win.Khulna were always behind the eight-ball after starting poorly. Openers Mohammad Hasanuzzaman and Abdul Mazid were run-out in the third over. First they were involved in a mix-up after Hasanuzzaman pushed the ball into the covers, with both ending up at the striker’s end. In the process of running him out at the other end, wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan rammed into Farhad Reza, hurting him.Two balls later, Mehedi Hasan’s direct hit from short midwicket found Mazid short by inches after he turned back from taking a single. After Farhad removed Shuvagata Hom in the fourth over, Nicholas Pooran fell following two sixes and as many fours, giving an easy catch to long-off off Afif.Samit Patel then removed Benny Howell, Mahmudullah and Kevon Cooper before Kesrick Williams and Darren Sammy took the eighth and ninth wickets respectively.There was still time for Khulna to post a better total, with Ariful Haque hitting two fours and a straight six in his unbeaten 32 off 29 balls, but it did not prove to be enough.