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While Davinson Sanchez’s £42m arrival back in the summer of 2017 has been something of a blemish on Tottenham Hotspur’s record of centre-back signings, generally speaking, Spurs have recruited extremely well in the position in recent years.

Indeed, this season, the £42m Cristian Romero has made a fantastic addition in the heart of the Tottenham defence, while Toby Alderweireld’s £11.4m signing back in 2015, Eric Dier’s £4m arrival in 2014 and Jan Vertonghen’s £9.5m acquisition back in 2012 all proved to be incredibly successful moves by the north London side.

However, there is one player who Daniel Levy will undoubtedly rue missing out on back in the summer of 2015 – when Tottenham reportedly had the opportunity to sign Dayot Upamecano for as little as £300k.

Sold at £1.98m, now worth £101m

Indeed, after watching the then-16-year-old in action for France at the U17 European Championship in Bulgaria, Spurs scouts are believed to have been left in awe at the defender’s athleticism and ball-playing ability, identifying the youngster as the perfect candidate for Mauricio Pochettino’s project in north London.

However, Tottenham ultimately missed out on the signing of the 6 foot 1 centre-back to Red Bull Salzburg, with the Austrian side willing to pay FC Valenciennes a much higher fee than the Premier League outfit, with Upamecano making a £1.98m move to the Red Bull Arena.

Just two years later, after highly impressing for Salzburg, the then-18-year-old was on the move again, securing a £16.65m switch to RB Leipzig – a club where the defender went on to establish himself as one of the most exciting talents in European football.

The player who Rio Ferdinand dubbed “formidable” completed his rise to the very top of the professional game last summer, sealing a £37m move to Bayern Munich – who handed the £101m-rated machine a five-year deal on a reported £132k-per-week.

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As such, while hindsight is a wonderful thing, it is clear for all to see that Daniel Levy had a shocker when failing to secure the signing of Upamecano back in 2015, as the France international is now not only one of the most valuable defenders in world football, he is also one of the most talented.

AND in other news: Paratici in talks over “breathtaking” THFC deal for £220k-p/w ace, AC would “love” him

	Muttiah Muralitharan: “I think bowling coaching is not about technique but how to access the conditions and bowl in those conditions” © Getty Images

Muttiah Muralitharan has plans to work alongside Anil Kumble to coach subcontinent players in spin bowling after his retirement. “He [Anil] is one of the greatest bowlers I have seen and he knows a lot”, Murali told , a Mumbai daily.”We will see which country needs help. We are looking at subcontinent countries and academies.” Murali said they wanted to spend one to two weeks working with each academy. “I think bowling coaching is not about technique but how to access the conditions and bowl in those conditions. When both of us call it a day we will look at coaching together. Hopefully, it will help future generations.”Murali said he hoped to play for at least three more years so that he could complete 20 years in international cricket. “I am enjoying Twenty20 now so much so I might play a few years. I have signed for three years so I have to play for these three years. Then I have to see if I can play for one year or more. It depends on how I bowl.” In the IPL so far, he has taken three wickets in three matches for the Chennai Super Kings, who are at the top of the points table having won all their games.Murali said Twenty20 was as much a game for bowlers as it was for batsmen. The key, for bowlers, he said, was to read what the batsman is going to play very early. “Mainly people like to see sixes and fours and if there are wickets where batsmen can’t score then people will get bored. But bowlers also have to give themselves chances.”

Gareth Hopkins will no longer be seen in Otago colours © Getty Images

Gareth Hopkins has transferred to Auckland for the 2007-08 season to avoid a clash with Brendon McCullum, who has returned to Otago. The two are New Zealand’s contracted wicketkeepers and the move should allow each of them to play first-class cricket while not on national duties.Hopkins joined Otago four seasons ago but spent the last two years commuting from Auckland, where his wife lives and works. With McCullum’s move back to Otago the time seemed right for Hopkins to switch teams. “I have enjoyed playing for Otago very much and it was a hard decision to make,” Hopkins said. “I appreciate the opportunities that have come playing for Otago Cricket, and the support they have given me.”Hopkins had a prolific season for Otago last summer, scoring three centuries and averaging 85.66. However, Auckland now have the challenge of deciding how to use Hopkins and their current wicketkeeper Reece Young, who has played 68 first-class matches.”Auckland Cricket is delighted to welcome a player of Gareth’s obvious class and quality,” Auckland’s CEO Andrew Eade said. “His batting will clearly strengthen our top order and our selectors will have an interesting choice to make regarding the wicketkeeping berth, as the incumbent Reece Young is also very accomplished behind the stumps and has served Auckland well for many years.”Ross Dykes, the CEO of Otago Cricket, said it was disappointing to lose Hopkins but he understood the decision. “We appreciate that in each of the last two years it has been difficult for Gareth to make the migration to Dunedin due to personal circumstances and we wish him every success in his future cricketing endeavours,” Dykes said. Hopkins, who is currently playing club cricket in Netherlands, will join the New Zealand A squad in Australia early next week.

Division One

Hampshire’s Dominic Thornely celebrates dismissing Sussex’s Robin Martin-Jenkins for 3 © Getty Images

A solid hundred from Mal Loye, aided by a typically pugnacious and aggressive fifty from Glen Chapple (82) led Lancashire to a powerful 388 for 7 on the opening day against Durham at the Chester-le-Street. After losing Ian Sutcliffe early, Loye found support in Mark Chilton (44), Stuart Law (45) and Luke Sutton (39*). But it was Chapple who took the game away from the hosts. His 82, from just 73 balls, included 14 fours and a couple of sixes to hand Lancashire the advantage on day one.Hampshire dismissed Sussex for 212 on a seamer’s pitch at Southampton, thanks to Sean Ervine and Dominic Thornely’s three wickets. Chris Adams anchored Sussex manfully with 64, which spanned three hours; though he found support from Carl Hopkinson (45) there was little of substance from the rest. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, making his first appearance of the summer, injected some life into proceedings with a run-a-ball 38. Before today, Thornely had only taken 10 first-class wickets in his career with New South Wales, to give him the impressive figures of 3 for 38. Sussex struck back immediately, however, as Rana removed Michael Brown with the first ball of their reply, to leave Hampshire wobbling on 34 for 1.Middlesex v Kent – full bulletin by Andrew McGlashan at Lord’s.Dropped catches and mixed fortunes hampered Yorkshire on the first day of their match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Jonathan Trott (43) was given two lives before even reaching double figures, and Alex Loudon ought to have been run out for 34. He went on to make 73. Making his debut for Yorkshire, Jason Gillespie lacked the venom which he displayed for Australia against Bangladesh and managed just one wicket, that of No. 10 Neil Carter. Missed chances aside, Warwickshire’s young batsmen – Loudon and Jim Troughton who both top-scored with 73 – played sensibly, edging their side to 316 before Troughton was the last man out. Anthony McGrath, who had taken an excellent catch at gully, was the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 62.

Division Two

A pair of magnificent hundreds – one from an old-stager and the other a bright prospect – led Essex to the imposing total of 400 for 3 against Glamorgan at Cardiff. Having been put into bat, Essex stumbled to 60 for 2 before Andy Flower (154*) and Ravinder Bopara (159) demolished Glamorgan’s bowlers. Their stand of 339 was a record for any wicket against Glamorgan, who must now be questioning the wisdom of inserting the opposition on such a flat track. Though Simon Jones – in his comeback game – leaked runs, he bowled with aggression and pace and was unlucky to go wicketless. The day, though, belonged to Flower and Bopara who flayed the home attack to all parts.Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher powered Surrey to a dominating total of 320 for 4 against Leicestershire at Leicester. Ramprakash (113) made the most of the benign pitch and, though he was dropped on 31, played with his customary class and shared in a 162-run partnership with Butcher who remained unbeaten on 75. Butcher, who was injured for most of last season, never looked fluent but nevertheless batted with great skill and determination.Four fifties from Somerset’s batsmen – including two blistering knocks from their lower-order – led them to a dominating total of 406 against Worcestershire on the first day at New Road. The home side began well, removing Marcus Trescothick for a duck, John Francis for 27 and Matthew Wood to leave them struggling on 67 for 3. However, Cameron White continued his early season form with a pugnacious 65 from 81 balls and Wes Durston played solidly for his 74. The innings was given great momentum with two fifties from Richard Johnson and Peter Trego – both of whom made 51 – who swung lustily to hand the advantage to Somerset and power them past 400.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul: ‘We wanted to stay in front from the start of the game and we did’ © Getty Images

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was in a buoyant mood after West Indies sealed their 276-run win over Pakistan. He said that the performance was a great team effort: “I want to say thanks to the fans for their support over the last couple of months. We set out our stall from the beginning, we wanted to stay in front from the start of the game and we did.”I’m glad we came out on top and I just want to say well done to all the guys, Brian [Lara] in the first innings, Corey [Collymore], Chris Gayle. The bowlers all did well, Corey with a sore shoulder, he hurt it diving for a ball last night, but came out this morning and put the ball in the right place and I want to say well done to him.”Chanderpaul, himself, had a stunning match, scoring 92 and an unbeaten 153, plus the run out of Younis Khan yesterday evening, and the crucial catch to end Shahid Afridi’s explosive innings. “It’s just part of the job.” he said modestly. “You just go out and try and get things done and I’m pleased I was able to get it done this time.”And he hopes West Indies can take their form from this match into the second Test, starting in Jamaica on Friday. “We’ve been lacking a bit of confidence but this should help us. We just need to lift our games a little more and look at the next match. We still have another match to play and hopefully we can take the confidence from this game into the next.”Chanderpaul added that Dwayne Bravo and Ian Bradshaw, who both missed this Test with injuries, will be assessed by West Indies’ physio over the next couple days and a decision on their availability for Jamaica will be made then.Meanwhile, Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, lamented their poor batting display. “You can’t get bowled out for 144, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “Not having Inzamam and Youhana made a difference but I thought we were spineless. They got themselves out very stupidly and there was no fight, that is what was surprising.”

Mark Missen, playing for Hampton United against Cluden in a club match inMelbourne on Australia Day (Jan 26), took all 10 wickets for 27, in 24.1overs. He only took the new ball after his captain, Michael Hutchins,injured his back banging the stumps in before the match. Missen told thelocal paper, the Frankston Standard: “I’ve heard batsmen say ‘Hewon’t deceive you with his pace, but he will deceive you with hisslowness’.”

Redbacks bowler Paul Wilson is the only addition to an unchanged Pura Cuplineup that will take on the Tasmanian Tigers this weekend at Adelaide Ovalin a vital Pura Cup match.The Redbacks are currently sitting second on the Pura Cup table on 20points, with the Queensland Bulls leading the competition with 28. WesternAustralia and Tasmanina are both on 18 points.Redbacks paceman Paul Rofe currently leads the Pura Cup wicket takers with39 wickets at an average of 21.38.The Redbacks have named 13 players and will reduce the squad to 12 tomorrow.Squads:Southern Redbacks: Greg Blewett (c), Brad Young (v/c), Nathan Adcock, Chris Davies, David Fitzgerald, Mark Harrity, Ben Higgins, Ben Johnson, Graham Manou, Peter McIntyre, Paul Rofe, Mike Smith, Paul Wilson.Tasmanian Tigers: Jamie Cox (c), Daniel Marsh (v/c), Sean Clingeleffer, Gerard Denton, Michael Dighton, Michael Di Venuto, Xavier Doherty, Shane Jurgensen, Scott Kremerskothen, Scott Mason, David Saker, Shannon Tubb, Damien Wright.

Nottinghamshire’s Paul Johnson and Usman Afzaal capitalised on wayward bowling by Durham in an unbroken stand of 171 at Chester-le-Street.Scoring at five an over during the afternoon, they took the total to 277 for three before rain cut 32 overs off the day’s play.Coming in to face the second ball after lunch, Johnson looked likely to score a hundred in the session until his onslaught was checked by Paul Collingwood.Johnson had hit 88 off 108 balls at tea and added one more to stay one run ahead of his partner when the rain arrived.Many of Johnson’s 13 fours were pulled in front of square, and he also hit a straight six off Nicky Phillips.James Brinkley had Greg Blewett lbw for three in taking one for 27 in seven overs at lunch, only for his six subsequent overs to be thrashed for 44.Coming in after Guy Welton and Blewett fell in successive overs, Afzaal had ten fours in his 95-ball half century and added seven more against an attack missing Simon Brown and Neil Killeen.Ian Hunter sent down four wides and Steve Harmison three, one of which went for four, as 32 of the first 54 runs came from extras.Guy Welton fell for 16 when he drove Collingwood to cover to end an opening stand of 77, then Blewett was lbw aiming to drive wide of mid-on.Darren Bicknell fell lbw for 45 to a rare straight ball from Harmison, but the fourth wicket pair never looked like being parted.

Aston Villa journalist Gregg Evans has admitted that it was “weird” to see Steven Gerrard  leaving Ezri Konsa on the bench. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old has watched Villa’s last two Premier League games against Leeds United and West Ham United from the substitutes’ bench.

He had started 22 of their first 23 league matches before he was sent off against Leeds on 9 February and had to serve a two-match suspension. He then returned to the starting line-up against Brighton, only to miss the win over Southampton through illness.

Despite Konsa regaining full fitness, Gerrard has opted to stick with Calum Chambers and Tyrone Mings as his centre-back partnership of late.

The latest

Evans wrote a piece for The Athletic in which he said that Gerrard faced a difficult decision over whether to restore the £22.5m-rated Konsa to the starting line-up.

The journalist shared a link to that article via Twitter, with the caption: “I think Chambers-Mings has worked quite well for #AVFC but it still feels weird seeing Konsa on the bench. Not since the Carabao Cup Final + last game before Project Restart has Konsa lost his place to a team-mate on form.”

The verdict

Chambers struggled somewhat against West Ham on Sunday, winning only one of his three ground duels, committing two fouls and misplacing six of the 10 long passes he attempted. That earned him a SofaScore rating of just 6.5/10, the joint-second lowest in the Villa ranks.

Perhaps that offers a pretext for Gerrard to restore Konsa to the team, but it may not be quite that simple. A recent report from Football Insider suggested that the 41-year-old has actually sanctioned the sale of the defender in the summer amid concerns over his reliability and consistency.

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Once considered undroppable, the 24-year-old may now face a period of uncertainty at Villa Park. With him coming in at a lowly 17th in Villa’s squad for WhoScored ratings this season, there’s no guarantee that he will get his place back in the team any time soon unless either of the current starting centre-backs were to become unavailable.

In other news, it wasn’t just Chambers who had a difficult day at the London Stadium

	Ricky Ponting: “The money being thrown around becomes very appealing to young kids coming into the game” © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, fears for the future of international cricket if administrators don’t carve out a six-week window for the Indian Premier League. The tournament opens in Bangalore on Friday and while the cricket world is waiting to see how big it will be, Ponting is concerned about how it could influence players.”If they don’t [have an international window], I fear for the long-term impact that it will have on the game,” Ponting wrote in the Australian. “Much has been said about the veterans coming to the end of their careers, but what about those players just starting out?”I think it’s vital that we have a six-week period carved out of every international team’s program because the money being thrown around becomes very appealing to young kids coming into the game.”Ponting expressed concern that players might choose the lucrative Twenty20 league over national duties. “Seeing the big dollars there and having the chance to take that and turn your back on international cricket is the biggest danger that will be posed out of this event,” Ponting said. “For those young guys starting out who haven’t had a taste of international cricket, they might not want to put themselves through the rigours of travelling the world for the next 15 years.”And the guys at the end of their careers have family at home and it’s getting harder and harder for them to go away on tours every year. For them, they could make the equivalent amount of money in only seven weeks.”Ponting highlighted the exodus faced by countries such as New Zealand, with key players like Shane Bond having joined the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. “I know it has lost a couple of its bigger and better players because of the difference in pay playing for New Zealand,” Ponting said. “The Kiwis’ IPL contracts are probably four times the value of their international contract.”That’s where the dangers are. You would hate to see a situation where New Zealand is no longer playing international cricket because it has no players.”John Buchanan, the former Australia coach who is with the Kolkata Knight Riders, expressed similar concerns in the . He said cricket needed to sort out its finances and the likes of Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire hoping to revive West Indies cricket, should be welcomed.”With the exception of Australia, England and India, every country in world cricket is struggling to pay their players sufficiently,” he said. “For example, we have Brendon McCullum with us, and there’s no way New Zealand Cricket could be paying him in a day what the IPL is.”But there shouldn’t be any debate in terms of him playing for his country. That is of utmost importance. But administrators should allow the IPL to subsidise his income with New Zealand Cricket.”