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Liverpool are interested in signing Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion despite Premier League rivals Chelsea's unremitting pursuit of the Ecuador international.

Who will sign Moises Caicedo?

That's according to Football Insider, who claim that Jurgen Klopp's Reds are the side to have joined Chelsea in the race for 21-year-old midfielder, who is valued at £100m by his outfit.

This follows a report from The Athletic revealing an unnamed club have seen an £80m offer rejected this week, surpassing the Blues' latest bid of £75m plus add-on.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Liverpool have been pushing for a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia but appear reluctant to meet his side's £50m valuation; while Caicedo eclipses Lavia's price tag, he is an established, high-profile destroyer and Klopp could yet further negotiations.

How good is Moises Caicedo?

A few dubious eyebrows will undoubtedly have arched following the report that Liverpool are the mystery club looking to enter the race for Caicedo's signature, and while further reports will need to materialise to convince the fanbase that such claims could bear fruit, it's an indication that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke is working diligently behind the scenes.

The struggle to find common ground in the bid to sign Lavia from Southampton is not for lack of funds, rather, an inflexibility in strategy, an unwillingness to pay in excess of what the club internally consider an appropriate fee.

Caicedo was unquestionably one of the Premier League's standout stars last term and his unrelenting intensity and industrious work-rate was a crucial factor behind Brighton's momentous sixth-place finish, qualifying for the Europa League.

As per Sofascore, the £60k-per-week gem recorded an average match rating of 7.08 in the English top-flight, completing 89% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes per game and winning 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per outing, praised as a "machine man" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Once dubbed as "strong, quick, intelligent and cool" by Tim Vickery, the effect that he would have on the Reds team would be extreme, instilling a deep-rooted winning mentality as he threads the team together and charges the engine.

He would play a big part in the restoration of the squad's backline, which has seen defensive imperiousness dissipate into the wind and was probably the crux of Liverpool's demise last term, enhancing the likes of newly-appointed captain Virgil van Dijk.

The 32-year-old Dutchman has made 222 appearances since arriving from Southampton on a £75m deal in 2019, winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's stewardship at Anfield, but he has been branded "nonchalant" by Dave OCKOP for his languid defending and part in Liverpool's issues.

But, as The Athletic illustrated, the underperforming and sapped midfield's inability to protect the defence compounded the problems, and Caicedo can be the icing on the cake following the summer arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai – who will undoubtedly improve the Reds centre.

Caicedo can combine the tenacity of the defensive energy with the crispness of his composed passing, with FBref ranking the Ecuadorian among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 13% for tackles and the top 11% for interceptions per 90.

This would play into Van Dijk's favour, with the £220k-per-week colossus ranking among the top 12% of defenders for pass completion and the top 4% for passes attempted per 90, requiring a conduit through which the attacking flow can be channelled.

Caicedo would be Liverpool's "crown jewel" – as once heralded by Ecuadorian football expert and historian Enrico Castro-Montes – and Klopp must now monitor the player's situation over the coming weeks attentively, ready to pounce if the opportunity arises.

Sunderland kick off their 2023/24 Championship season in a week's time as they host Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light next Sunday.

Who have Sunderland signed this summer?

The Black Cats faithful could see a host of fresh faces on the pitch for their side during the game as Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman have worked together to bring in six new signings so far.

Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham, Bradley Dack, Luis Hemir Semedo, Eliezer Mayenda, and Jenson Seelt have all arrived on permanent deals.

That does not appear to be the end of their business for the summer transfer window, though, as it was recently reported by the Daily Mail that the Black Cats are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Southampton central midfielder Will Smallbone.

The outlet named Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, and Blackburn Rovers as some of the other teams eyeing up the Irish maestro, who has one year left to run on his current contract at St. Mary's.

How good is Will Smallbone?

A loan spell with Stoke City during the 2022/23 campaign proved that the 23-year-old technician is an excellent Championship performer who could be a fantastic addition to Sunderland's squad if they are able to snap him up.

Mowbray can land the dream replacement for Edouard Michut, who returned to Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his time with the Black Cats last season, by winning the race to secure Smallbone's signature this summer ahead of top-flight competition.

Michut made 24 league appearances for the club last term and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.64, which placed him 20th within the squad. This shows that the French midfielder struggled to deliver consistently impressive displays as he was not one of the team's top performers.

The 20-year-old gem did make 1.6 tackles per game, which only four of his teammates eclipsed, but he offered very little going forward with 0.2 key passes per game – less than 16 other players on the roster.

On the other hand, Smallbone showcased himself to be a tough-tackling creator who can be relied on to produce excellent performances on a consistent basis at this level.

He averaged a Sofacore rating of 7.00, which would have placed him joint-third with winger Jack Clarke in the Sunderland squad, and caught the eye in the defensive third with 1.7 tackles per match for the Potters.

The £6k-per-week magician also made a significant impact in possession as he created 1.6 chances per clash and racked up five assists for Alex Neil's team. Meanwhile, only Clarke (1.5) produced more key passes per game for Sunderland and only three players managed more than five assists.

These statistics suggest that Smallbone, who was once dubbed a "special" talent by journalist Josh Bunting, has the ability to be one of Mowbray's best players next season, if he can replicate his Stoke form or even improve on it.

The Saints wizard could be an outstanding creative threat from the middle of the park in a way that Michut was unable to be, whilst still being able to offer a defensive presence as a tough-tackling number eight who can win possession back for his side.

Celtic are now strong favourites to sign Shakhtar Dontesk winger Tete, who has confirmed that he plans to leave this summer, according to recent reports from Ukraine.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

Celtic have recently sold Jota to Al-Ittihad, with the winger moving to Saudi Arabia in a reported £25m move, and while transfer insider Dean Jones believes his departure is a "blow", he thinks the club will be "reinvesting a significant amount of money that they earned from that deal".

Gangwon FC winger Hyun-jun Yang has emerged as a potential replacement for the Portuguese winger, with journalist Anthony Joseph reporting the Hoops have recently stepped up their efforts to sign the 21-year-old, having first made an approach last month.

Tete is another option for the Scottish champions, with The Daily Record recently relaying reports from the Ukrainian media which indicate they are now the strong favourites to win the race for his signature, in part due to his existing relationship with Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers worked with the Brazilian winger at Leicester City last season, with the Northern Irishman seemingly keen to sign him once again, and the player himself has now made it clear he wants to leave Shakhtar Donetsk.

As a result of the war in Ukraine, the 23-year-old believes he can no longer stay at his current club, saying: "Shakhtar became the first serious club in my career and gave me a lot. I will always love this team. But I can no longer stay here. I hope the fans understand my point of view.

"There are clubs that are interested in me. My agent is already negotiating with the management of Shakhtar about my contract."

Who is Tete?

The Alvorada-born star is primarily a right-winger, having made 125 appearances in that area of the pitch throughout his career so far, during which time he has picked up 37 goals and 23 assists, just under a goal contribution every other game.

As a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the £50k-per-week earner has spent some time away from Shakhtar, and he had a very promising spell with Lyon, registering eight goals and ten assists in 30 appearances for the French club.

After that, the former Brazil U23 international went on to play for Leicester, and Rodgers was full of praise for him after his first game against Aston Villa, saying:

"What a debut for him. It was really good. He knows football, he knows the type of game we were trying to play, his touch is immaculate. He has a good weight of pass but can run in behind. His finish was absolutely brilliant. He loves football off the pitch and he is super professional."

Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergi Palkin has lauded the right-winger as "extremely difficult to stop", while also claiming he is known as a "hurricane" by people in Brazil.

At 23-years-old, Tete is at the right age to be a fantastic long-term replacement for Jota, and it appears as though Celtic stand a good chance of winning the race for his signature.

Nottinghamshire nightwatchman Luke Fletcher fell eight runs short of a maiden century when he slipped in mid-pitch and was run out

Paul Edwards at Chester-le-Street15-Apr-2017Durham 162 and 162 for 5 (Jennings 62*) trail Nottinghamshire 305 (Fletcher 92, Pattinson 59, Rushworth 4-54) by 19 runs
ScorecardLuke Fletcher swopped bowling duties for the innings of his life•Getty ImagesNottinghamshire’s burly nightwatchman Luke Fletcher fell eight runs of a maiden first-class hundred when he was run out in desperately unfortunate circumstances as Nottinghamshire built a sizeable advantage against Durham at Emirates Riverside.Fletcher earned Nottinghamshire a formidable 143-run lead and they strengthened their position by taking four prime wickets before the deficit had been cleared and that of Paul Coughlin for a breezy 36 once it had.The home side’s hopes of recovery rest largely on the slim shoulders of Keaton Jennings, who composed a polished 62 not out in the 47-over evening session. But if this game ends as now expected sometime on the third day Durham will be a mere 89 points behind their current opponents. They do, though, have a game in hand.At Papplewick and Linby, the Nottinghamshire club where Fletcher first learned his cricket, they may have been raising a glass to their former player on the second evening of this game after his beautifully-constructed 209-minute innings had played the major role in establishing his side’s superiority in this game.There will also be talk of the disaster that befell him when his maiden century was in sight.Pattinson played the ball into the off side where Keaton Jennings effected a fine stop. By then, Fletcher had come two thirds down the wicket but was sent back by his partner who had at first made as if to run.Fletcher slipped onto his backside with the sort of thud that shifts tectonic plates. He got up without his bat and galloped back to the bowler’s end like a frightened shire horse yearning for its stable. But he failed to beat Jennings’ accurate throw and the bails were whipped off by Paul Collingwood with the batsman out of his ground. Fletcher had made 92, thus equalling his highest first-class score. He may well have got home if he could have stretched a bat out.Forget, please, the condescension often attached to nightwatchmen’s innings: this was a proper knock in which Fletcher made the most of his ability to drive through the covers and clip the ball off his legs. He defended the good balls with unruffled precision and took advantage of Durham’s curious willingness to feed his best shots.After Samit Patel was caught at slip off the seventh ball of the morning, Fletcher lost nothing by comparison with either Riki Wessels, who was leg before for eight when wafting across the line to Mark Wood, or Chris Read, bowled for 17 when playing loosely at a Paul Coughlin delivery which nipped back a shade.He dealt phlegmatically with a scoreboard malfunction which gave him extra runs and led to him twice being warmly applauded by admittedly hypothermic home supporters for reaching his fifty when he had not, in fact, done so, and then not at all when he actually achieved his fourth first-class half-century in 121 innings. Fletcher’s team mates on the balcony made good the deficiency in acclamation; they knew the value of this innings.Undefeated on 51 at lunch, the mighty megalith contemplated a yet loftier goal in the afternoon. With James Pattinson offering sound support, it seemed possible that his first century for Nottinghamshire was in range after a decade of wholehearted trying.Three fours in a Ryan Pringle over took him into the nineties, a position from which, so the former Kent batman Trevor Ward frequently asserted, all that is needed is “two good hits”.Ward, alas, was oft dismissed when attempting to put fine theory into rough practice and Fletcher, too, was denied his longed-for glory.Nottinghamshire’s seventh-wicket pair had put on 108-runs. After consoling his partner, although “Sorry, mate” may not have done the needful, Pattinson reached his own fifty and had extended his team’s advantage to 139 when he skied an attempted pull off Graham Onions to a scuttling Stuart Poynter behind the stumps.Already the Australian looks like one of the signings of the season. He has scored 148 runs in two innings and by the end of the second day here he had taken 13 wickets, a haul he completed when he removed Coughlin and Collingwood, the latter quite brilliantly snaffled one-handed by a leaping Wessels at first slip after making 40.In the first three overs of the innings Jake Ball had accounted for Stephen Cook and Jack Burnham, both of whom edged good balls to the cordon and Fletcher then enjoyed more joy when he had Michael Richardson leg before for eight. Down the road Chester-le-Street drew their match although Durham’s Adam Hickey made 58 and took three wickets for his new club. Across the land cricket is beginning and good coaching being done. On such a Saturday April’s cruelties seem well hidden.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to make contact over signing Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo "this week", according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna.

Who are Spurs signing?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy have been moving fairly quickly in this summer window, having already confirmed a trio of major signings for new manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Lilywhites went trophyless and fell just short of European qualification last season, but that hasn't altered their pull in the transfer market, with Dejan Kulusevski, Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison all joining permanently as the manager prepares to make a charge on the top four in his first year at the helm.

The former joins indefinitely from Juventus after 18 months on loan at Spurs, while both Vicario and Maddison put pen to paper on £17.2 million and £40 million moves respectively.

Tottenham, following their capture of the aforementioned stars, are also expected to confirm the addition of Israel international winger Manor Solomon soon. The former Fulham loanee is due for a medical this week, and if all goes to plan, he will be the club's fourth transfer.

After Solomon, the north Londoners are now looking to add a star centre-back or two to their roster, with Spurs conceding a woeful 63 league goals over 2022/2023.

No side above Bournemouth in 15th suffered more goals against than Tottenham last campaign, something Postecoglou must fix and soon.

The club have been in ongoing talks over moves for both Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, according to reports, with Adarabioyo of Fulham also remaining on their shortlist.

Fulham's colossal 6 foot 5 centre-back is a man in demand, though, with "many clubs" interested in signing the former Man City starlet.

That comes from reporter Auona, who also says Tottenham are "expected to contact" their west London counterparts for Adarabioyo shortly.

Sharing news on Twitter, the journalist claims Spurs will take action over their fondness for Adarabioyo, and club-to-club dialogue over the conditions of a deal may take place "this week."

"Tottenham will made action over Tosin Adarabioyo. The Spurs are expected to contact Fulham this week to know the conditions and terms of a permanent transfer," the reporter said, before adding that "many clubs are interested".

Who is Tosin Adarabioyo?

The 25 year-old has been exceptional under Fulham manager Marco Silva over these last 12 months and beyond, ranking among their top ten best-performing players per 90 (WhoScored).

Adarabioyo averaged their second-highest rate of aerial duels won per match in the league over 22/23, all whilst making more clearances per 90 than any other Fulham player in that time (WhoScored).

Called "magnificent" by members of the press, Adarabioyo has also been praised by Silva, with the Whites lauding his quality in possession after a 1-0 loss to West Ham.

"And with Tosin, we know what we expect from him," said Silva to the media (via The Boot Room).

“Of course, quality on the ball in the first build-up, to find the players between the lines. Tosin had a good game and did what we expected.”

Aston Villa president of football operations Monchi can help the Premier League outfit to secure some high-profile additions this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Aston Villa?

Last week, Aston Villa announced Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, commonly known as Monchi, as their new president of football operations. The 54-year-old will work in tandem with boss Unai Emery alongside Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens on all football matters at the club.

The Villans have already started to make moves on potential transfer targets this summer, with 90min claiming that Aston Villa have opened discussions with Athletic Club regarding winger Nico Williams.

Barcelona duo Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati have also been looked at by the West Midlands-based outfit; however, they also face competition from Arsenal in their pursuit of Williams.

Football Insider report that Villarreal defender Pau Torres is another name from La Liga that is on the radar at Villa Park and Aston Villa have initiated contact with the Yellow Submarine as they try to thrash out a deal for the 26-year-old.

Manager Emery is keen to reunite with Torres, who he previously worked with at Villarreal, as he aims to enact a 'summer spending spree' at Villa Park.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones believes that Aston Villa appointing Monchi may help the club get some big summer signings over the line, particularly involving players from markets such as La Liga.

Jones told FFC when asked about Monchi's potential impact: "I wasn't sure how much of an impact he would have straight away at the club, but it sounds like they want it immediately. When it comes to targets like those [Torres and Williams], he's obviously got the scope to try and make them happen."

Who else have Aston Villa been linked with this summer?

Aston Villa have been linked with a whole host of names this window as they prepare to compete in continental competition next term in the form of the Europa Conference League.

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho has emerged as a serious target for Aston Villa and reportedly could cost in the region of £60 million to acquire, according to FootballTransfers.

90min claim that Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is in the frame at Villa Park as a potential addition, with talks already said to have been opened between the Villans and the Spain international.

Leeds United ace Tyler Adams is a further player that the Villans are on the trail of this summer, according to The Daily Mail, signifying that an exciting transfer window could be in store at Villa Park.

Wolverhampton Wanderers ended the 2022/23 campaign with a relatively comfortable 13th-placed finish in the Premier League table.

Julen Lopetegui's side were never in any serious danger of being relegated down to the Championship as they finished seven points clear of the bottom three, with Leicester, Southampton, and Leeds United all dropping out of the division.

The Spanish head coach now has a full summer transfer window to improve his squad with a view to competing further up the table, and potentially challenging for Europe again in 23/24.

One player who could come in is Stuttgart ace Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is a reported transfer target for the Old Gold as they look to improve their defensive options.

Who is Konstantinos Mavropanos?

The 25-year-old Greek centre-back enjoyed an excellent campaign in the Bundesliga in 22/23 and could come in to form a terrific partnership with current Wolves star Max Kilman.

The English defender played 37 of the club's 38 Premier League matches in the season just gone and averaged a solid Sofascore rating of 6.85. He proved himself to be a solid option at the heart of the defence and dominated opposition attackers as he won 63% of his duels.

This means that Kilman is capable of bullying opponents and keeping them quiet for the majority of games when it comes to battling for the ball, which is particularly useful in physical games where there may be a barrage of set pieces and balls into the box.

Mavropanos could form a "monster" pairing with the Wolves ace as Borussia Monchengladbach chief Pellegrino Matarazzo previously described the Greek gem, whilst also hailing him as a "gladiator".

The colossal Stuttgart enforcer averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.26 across 28 appearances in the Bundesliga, which would place him top of the Wolves squad for outfield players, and won an impressive 66% of his battles, including 70% of his aerial contests.

This suggests that the former Arsenal prospect, who also made four tackles and interceptions per match, is also a dominant defender who does not give much away when competing with opposition strikers.

Therefore, the £22k-per-week brute could be an exceptional addition to Lopetegui's side as his form in the German top-flight suggests that the potential is there for him to be an outstanding performer for the club, whilst his dominance at the back could make him and Kilman a formidable pairing for strikers to come up against next season.

Liverpool "could yet become involved" in the race to sign Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to reliable journalist Sam Dean.

Is Moises Caicedo leaving Brighton?

The Ecuador international first arrived in the Premier League back in 2021 and has since gone on to become an integral member and regular feature of Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, starting 34 out of the 38 games in the top-flight last season, establishing himself as the top-performing defensive player at The Amex.

Back in January, Arsenal saw two bids for the 21-year-old rejected as he even penned an open letter on his social media channels expressing his desire to leave, as per Sky Sports, but despite wanting to embark on a new challenge, he then signed a new long-term contract keeping him at the club until 2027.

Speaking on his YouTube channel in February, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Reds and Chelsea were also following the Seagulls talisman but claimed that Jurgen Klopp hadn’t made a formal approach due to his top target at the time being Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, but with that pursuit now over, they could have a change of heart over the south coast star.

Are Liverpool signing Caicedo?

Taking to Twitter, Dean revealed that Liverpool aren't yet fully ruled out of the running for Caicedo and could be tempted to try their luck should they feel his price tag is reasonable. He wrote:

"Brighton will demand significantly more than £70m for Moises Caicedo this summer. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all shown interest — and Liverpool could yet become involved, depending on the eventual cost."

Should FSG make a move for Caicedo?

Liverpool will already have a strong existing relationship with Brighton due to the deal for Alexis Mac Allister, and with him completing a switch to Anfield, FSG should definitely enquire to see if the Argentine’s former teammate could follow in his footsteps to Merseyside.

The World Cup participant is naturally a defensive midfielder which is proven by him recording a total of 100 tackles over the course of the last campaign, higher than any of his fellow peers, via FBRef, alongside averaging 1.5 interceptions per top-flight game, so he’s a real rock and protector of the backline.

Brighton’s “Machine Man”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would also add wonderful versatility to the squad, so could well be worth his "astronomical" price tag of well over £70m. He has previously operated at right-back and slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role in front of the defence, so should the opportunity to sign him arise, the board shouldn’t even have to think twice about wrapping this one up.

A brilliant century from Nick Gubbins anchored Middlesex on an attritional first day of their County Championship decider at Lord’s

George Dobell at Lord's20-Sep-2016
ScorecardThe days have gone, thankfully, when a late-season performance in a key game at Lord’s could sway selection for an England tour.But, as Nick Gubbins pulled Ryan Sidebottom for six to bring up a century of the highest class, you wondered whether the selectors might have been convinced had this innings come a week or two earlier.The selectors will have seen plenty of Gubbins, of course. Not only is one of them, Angus Fraser, his county director of cricket but, having largely developed along the same route (same school; same county) as Andrew Strauss, who sits in on selection meetings in his role as managing director of the England team, he has long been identified as one to watch. They have selected him in the Lions squad, too.But, on a testing surface, in a big game and against a fine attack, Gubbins produced an innings that demonstrated technical and temperamental excellence. Not for the first time, either: this was his fourth century of an outstanding Championship season that has brought more than 1,300 runs and saw him awarded his county cap at the start of the lunch interval. Sooner or later, an England cap will surely follow.It is too early to say whether it will prove to be the innings that secures Middlesex their first Championship trophy since 1993 – this title race remains wonderfully poised – but it does seem fair to state that he kept his side in contention. On a day when nobody else scored more than 22 and in conditions which most seamers would relish, his unbeaten 120 stood out like a giant among pygmies.Might it be relevant that this game was played in front of the TV cameras? It shouldn’t matter, but it probably does. Having now impressed a wider audience – including some influential voices at Sky – perhaps Gubbins’ case will pushed as vociferously as that by some with the ‘right’ agent or ‘right’ supporters in the media?It is Gubbins’ all-round game that is so impressive for a man of just 22. Lots of young batsmen play pleasing strokes. Lots can score a flash fifty and the odd century. And there are several with a strong defensive technique and the determination to bat all day. But there are few, very few, who put both together as well as Gubbins or play within themselves with such maturity or confidence.So, while he does have the patience to leave the ball all day and the discipline to play straight as often as appropriate, he also has the strokes to punish bowlers. A highlights reel might focus on his front-foot driving through cover, which is certainly pleasing, but it is his back-foot strokes that mark him out: early in the day he forced Jack Brooks for three through cover – an exquisite shot that most batsman would have been happy to defend or allow themselves to be lured into playing across the line – while there were a couple of those characteristic clips off the hips – a stroke played to a good length ball on off stump – that must make bowlers wish they had taken up another profession. And, when Sidebottom dropped short, he was pulled for six without fear or fuss. This fellow can really bat.There were times he struggled. Tim Bresnan, who bowled magnificently well from the Pavilion End, beat his bat a couple of times as he moved the ball down the hill and then came perilously close to bowling or trapping him leg before when he persuaded it to nip back. But it bodes well – for England and Middlesex – that Gubbins did not become flustered by the challenge. He shrugged off the beatings and played the next ball with the same unflustered, phlegmatic confidence that was once the hallmark of Graham Gooch.He will face different tests at the highest level – not least, he will be subjected to more short-pitched bowling than was seen against this attack or on this surface – and this is his first really good Championship season, but if bookies took bets on the identity of future England captains, the odds on Gubbins would be short.Yorkshire will rue some missed chances, though. The most expensive saw Gubbins, on 22, put down by Azeem Rafiq at point off the bowling of Steven Patterson, but there were other blemishes that saw Adam Lyth, at second slip, drop a tough chance off Dawid Malan, on 19, and Gary Ballance (at third slip) put down an easier chance offered by James Franklin on 1.Perhaps Yorkshire may consider themselves unfortunate, too. A couple of leg-before shouts must have been perilously close while replays suggested Gubbins should probably have been given out on 96, caught down the leg side off Sidebottom. They bowled with skill and persistence, though, and by keeping the run-rate under three have ensured they remain very much in contention.This was another outstanding showcase of the standard of Championship cricket. Not only are Yorkshire without several of their England players, but they decided to leave out Liam Plunkett – they reasoned the movement of David Willey would be more valuable on a slow surface like this – while it says something for Eoin Morgan’s peripheral role at Middlesex that he was not even considered for selection. He has not played a Championship match all season. It would be no surprise if he never plays another one.After Sam Robson, whose season has deteriorated after a fine start, was pinned on the boot – reward for a well-directed yorker as much as punishment for falling over to the off side, Nick Compton was, for the second successive match, dismissed by a delivery he left. Dawid Malan, after a few gorgeously-timed strokes, played on as he pushed at one without sufficient foot movement, while Stevie Eskinazi also played on as he pushed at from Brooks that may have kept a fraction low. John Simpson, having been beaten outside off by deliveries that left him, was dismissed by one that nipped back into him; outstanding bowling by any standards.This is no classic Lord’s surface. Conditions provided assistance to bowlers throughout – 14 overs were lost to poor light at the end of the day – and a less resolute batting line-up could have been routed. Gubbins’ fortitude ensured Middlesex remained in the race on a day when their challenge could easily have fallen away. With three days left, it’s still too tight to call.

Tottenham Hotspur could end up going in the direction of former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers in their search for a new manager, journalist Paul Brown has suggested.

What's the latest manager news involving Tottenham Hotspur?

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the state of play concerning Tottenham's manager situation on Twitter, stating: "Negotiations between Nagelsmann and Tottenham have not resumed, at this stage. No changes: he'd only consider the job with supportive sporting director. Arne Slot, concrete option discussed internally; while Luis Enrique, Amorim and Postecoglou remain on Levy list."

Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has been mooted as a serious candidate for the vacancy and it is said that his current employers are 'increasingly concerned' that he will depart De Kuip to take over in north London, as per Sky Sports.

ESPN report that Rodgers is also a contender and has been 'discussed internally' by Spurs chiefs as they look to finally replace Antonio Conte at the helm.

90min also claim that Rodgers is being considered alongside Ruben Amorim, Marco Silva, Michael Carrick and Graham Potter. Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso were weighed up; however, they have chosen to commit to Burnley and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively, for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown wouldn't be surprised if Spurs turned to Rodgers as a prospective replacement for Conte.

Brown said: "It wouldn't surprise me if Brendan Rodgers becomes a candidate. He's been quite highly liked by several of the big clubs for a long time. What's happened at Leicester this season has taken some of the gloss off, but I don't really think that that's entirely his fault.

"The fact that they lost players, weren't recruiting and when they did recruit, didn't recruit very well really didn't help him this season. I still think he's a pretty good manager and Rodgers at Spurs would be quite interesting and fascinating to watch.”

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good fit for Tottenham Hotspur?

Rodgers, who was described as "invaluable" by Kolo Toure at Leicester, is an experienced Premier League manager who has done a relatively good job in every post he has been assigned; however, it would remain to be seen whether the Tottenham fans took to him as someone who could lead them in the right direction following a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

In his time at Leicester City, the Carnlough-born coach enjoyed a successful time of things, leading the Foxes to two fifth-place finishes, an FA Cup triumph and a Europa Conference League semi-final, where they were narrowly pipped by Jose Mourinho's Roma.

Unfortunately, Leicester City started to decline under Rodgers, though he definitely wasn't helped by financial limitations bestowed upon his former club that prevented them from effectively investing in the transfer market last summer.

The Irishman also won seven trophies in charge of Scottish giants Celtic, claiming every domestic honour available to him during a period of unprecedented domestic dominance for the Hoops.

Nevertheless, appointing Rodgers, who is out of work, would be a confusing decision for Spurs fans to get their head around as he has been available for the duration of the hiring process and may suggest a lack of clear thinking on chairman Levy's part.