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Everton are renowned for their reckless spending and endless signings that have ultimately put the side in no better position since Farhad Moshiri became the owner six years ago, and it seems that he still hasn’t learned his lesson if the latest reports are anything to go by.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet, Sport, Everton are back in the race to sign Barcelona goalkeeper Norberto Neto for a fee of around €14m (£11.8m) if reports are to be believed.

The keeper has been planning to leave the La Liga club for a while now according to the report, and this summer could be the opportunity for the 32-year-old to leave the club, with Everton in strong contention to sign him.

Despite the strong links, Sport do report that it would depend on the Merseyside club’s Premier League status next season, which currently hangs in the balance in the remaining months of the season.

Moshiri set for huge blunder

Despite a poor season, Jordan Pickford has always been the number one choice for Everton and for England too, which makes the signing of Neto not viable in terms of the player wanting to leave Barcelona to gain more game time at another club, so yet again it seems that Moshiri is set for a huge blunder in the transfer market.

Ultimately, the £3.6m-rated stopper who was hailed “brilliant” by former manager Marcelino, has been anything but that, conceding more goals (4) than he has had appearances for Barcelona this season.

Furthermore, he was described as a “disaster” on Premier Sports last term after a catastrophic blunder cost his side a goal against Alaves, getting the ball trapped under his feet, only to have the ball stolen away from him and tucked into an empty net.

Thus, it really is a wonder why Moshiri would be interested in signing a ‘keeper who has not only had a serious lack of game time with just 20 appearances in his almost three years playing for the Spanish club but clearly doesn’t hold a good record in his shot-stopping abilities either.

There are so many other areas that require the attention of the transfer powers at Goodison Park, with the defensive set-up being criticised for being “Championship” quality by Jamie Carragher in a scathing review of Everton’s embarrassing 5-0 defeat to Spurs last week.

“This back four is a Championship back four,” the Sky Sports pundit stressed. “There’s absolutely no doubt about this whatsoever.”

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With that being said, surely the board, the owner and the manager should be focusing on repairing the obvious issues in defence this season and looking for solutions on signings they can bring in to improve the back four, especially if the side do manage to stay in the Premier League next season.

They cannot afford to have another campaign in the league like the one we have witnessed over the last nine months.

In other news: Forget relegation: Lamps heading for huge Everton disaster on “fabulous” £72k-p/w star

Group A

In spite of fast bowler Sohail Khan’s day-three heroics, all Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) could manage was a draw and claim three points against Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) at the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium. A defiant display by third-placed WAPDA on day three saw them make 353 in their second innings. SSGC needed 328 to win, but they spent yesterday idling to 264 for 6 as the match ended in a rather tame draw.WAPDA had a win in mind, as the first two SSGC wickets fell with only 13 on the board. The third wicket fell at 68, but a 159-run stand for the fourth wicket steered SSGC out of the woods. The experienced Saeed bin Nasir hit his 12th first-class hundred, batting for almost four and a half hours and facing 208 deliveries. With Saeed was the SSGC captain Atiq-uz-Zaman, who missed what would have been his fourth century by just nine runs. The 32-year-old Atiq, who played in a Test match for Pakistan as wicketkeeper back in 1999-00 and is now settled in England, made 91 off just 134 balls in a little over three hours with 11 fours.National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) were breathing easier again as they managed to draw their match against Habib Bank Limited (HBL) at the NBP Sports Complex Stadium. NBP refused to buckle down, after having conceded a 44-run first-innings lead to their opponents, and spent the entire day yesterday posting 251 for 6 in their second innings.From nine matches, ranking leaders HBL have now totalled 66 points, after having taken three from the match. They only have Karachi Whites to contend with before the all-important final, in their last preliminary round game ten days from now after the Eid ul Azha and Christmas break. NBP have two matches in hand and 51 points from eight matches to their credit. They must win against both Sialkot, in the replay of their abandoned first-round encounter, and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). This will bring their points tally to 69. At the same time, they will be hoping that Karachi Whites beat Habib Bank and the latter don’t add to their 66 points.Lahore Ravi defeated Sialkot by a three-wicket margin on the final day of their respective tenth round match at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground.By the end of the third day’s play, Lahore Ravi, at 177 for 7, still required another 35 to win. Their eighth-wicket pair yesterday took their team to 214 for 7 without any further mishap and a win was comfortably achieved.Wicketkeeper Shahbaz Butt, with an unbeaten 45 off 101 balls with five fours and a six, had the belligerent Waqas Ahmed as his partner and the two added 65.Waqas had a tremendous match, as he followed his 23-ball 45 in the first innings with an unbeaten 30 off 34 deliveries with five fours. In addition Waqas, a former Pakistan Under-19s star, captured 4 for 48 and 6 for 70 for a match haul of 10 for 118.Lahore Ravi remain at fourth place in the 11-team Group A ranking, with 39 points from nine matches of which they have won four and lost three. Sialkot, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy champions in 2005-06 and runners-up last season, are down at number nine with a mere 15 points from eight appearances.Multan emerged victorious by nine wickets over Hyderabad at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Adbul Rauf, the Multan captain, grabbed 6 for 72 to bowled Hyderabad out for 180 and needing just 70 to win, the hosts did so for the loss of only one wicket and collected the full nine points.Multan are up to the fifth spot, with 30 points after having completed their ten-match schedule. Hyderabad have been pushed to rock bottom by Pakistan Customs. They have only three points from their nine matches, of which they have lost five.

Group B

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) attained a whopping innings-and-181-run triumph over Karachi Blues, on the final day at the United Bank Limited Sports Complex Ground No.1 in Karachi. After having gained a massive 327-run first innings lead over their opponents, with their score of 515 for 5 declared, ZTBL had Karachi Blues dismissed for a poor 146.Zohaib Khan, Peshawar’s slow left-arm bowler, achieved career-best figures of 5for 49 to hasten the Blues’ demise. Right-arm medium-fast bowler Kashif Dawood played an admirable foil with 3 for 28 in 12 overs. Kashif returned a match haul of 8 for 65. ZTBL have now completed all their ten matches in the Group B preliminaries. With a tally of 36 points, however, they stay at the fifth spot. Blues are down at number nine in the 11-team ranking with a mere 12 points from nine matches.At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium after either side had forfeited its first innings, a definite result was achieved with Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) dismissing Abbottabad for a poor 111 to attain a 246-run win.Bottom-of-the-table Pakistan Customs lifted themselves up to number ten in the 11-team pool ranking, as they attained a creditable draw against Karachi Whites at theNational Stadium. After having gained a 58-run lead over the Karachi team, Customs batted on for much of the last day as they made 271 in their second innings. Needing an impossible 330 to win, Karachi Whites lost four wickets while scoring 60.The left-handed Rehan Rafiq, unbeaten at 60 overnight, managed only four more to his score. His 64 came off 142 balls with ten fours and he added 97 for the fifth wicket with Yasir Hussain (39) before three wickets fell in a heap. Mohammad Hasa, just 17, followed up his first-innings 43 with a career-best 76 from 143 balls. With Raees Amjad (34), Hasan helped add 91 for the eighth wicket. Karachi fast bowers Mohammad Hasnain and Fahad Khan bagged four wickets each.From their nine matches, of which they have lost as many as seven and drawn two, Customs have scraped together just six points. Karachi Whites, in fact the defending champions of the competition, are now at eighth place with 21 points from their nine appearances.At the Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad, Quetta left the home side a rather steep target of 284 after declaring their second innings closed at 321 for 9. Islamabad were 199 for 5 when the match came to a close. For Quetta, who had earlier surrendered a 38-run lead, left-handed opener Shoaib Khan compiled 154 off 240 balls with 16 fours and two sixes. With Jalat Khan (46), his fifth-wicket stand was worth 97. For Islamabad, captain Ashar Zaidi was unlucky to miss a hundred by just one run, his 99 being terminated by pace bowler Faisal Irfan, after he faced only 114 balls and hit 16 boundaries.Islamabad remained at third place in the Group B ranking with 39 points from nine matches and Quetta at the bottom with a mere three points from their ninePeshawar batted well in their second innings to score 258 at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, leaving Rawalpindi 199 for an improbable victory. All they had was ten overs at their disposal as they reached 46 for 1 before the match ended in a draw.

Group A

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	Aban	Pts
Habib Bank	9	7	1	0	1	0	66
National Bnk	9	5	0	0	4	0	51
WAPDA	9	4	0	0	5	0	42
Lahore Ravi	9	4	3	0	2	0	39
Faisalabad	9	2	2	0	5	0	30
Multan	10	3	3	0	4	0	30
Sui Sthn Gas	9	2	3	0	4	0	24
Karachi Whites	9	2	2	0	5	0	21
Sialkot	9	1	4	0	4	0	15
Pakistan Customs	9	0	7	0	2	0	6
Hyd (Pakstn)	9	0	5	0	4	0	3

Group B

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	Aban	Pts
Sui Gas	9	7	1	0	1	0	63
PIA	9	5	0	0	4	0	48
Islamabad	9	4	3	0	2	0	39
Khan RL	9	3	1	0	5	0	39
Zarai TBL	10	3	2	0	5	0	36
Rawalpindi	9	1	2	0	6	0	24
Lahore Shalimar	9	2	3	0	4	0	18
Peshawar	9	1	4	0	4	0	15
Karachi Blues	9	1	5	0	3	0	12
Abbottabad	9	0	3	0	6	0	9
Quetta	9	0	3	0	6	0	3

Hampshire County Cricket Club intends to return to play first-class cricket in Basingstoke in 2008, as part of a wider plan to take the game back to the county’s outgrounds.Although the Hampshire 2nd XI played one match at the Basingstoke ground in 2006, the last Championship fixture at May’s Bounty was in the summer of 2000, the season before the club moved to The Rose Bowl near Southampton.Second XI matches will be played at May’s Bounty and Bournemouth Sports Club during the forthcoming season, and subject to conditional improvements at the ground, including pitch improvement which has been monitored during recent seasons, Hampshire Cricket intends to schedule 1st XI matches in 2008. The final decision will be made in the autumn during the fixture planning process.”Hampshire’s association with Basingstoke goes back many years,” said Tim Tremlett, the director of cricket. “The team’s track record allied to the tremendous support that they have always received from the local community bodes well for the future when this partnership resumes.”Keith Harris, chairman of Basingstoke and North Hants Cricket Club, added: “The club has always been keen to have Hampshire play at May’s Bounty. We were disappointed when Hampshire stopped playing at the ground six years ago, but fully understood the reasons behind the decision.”We are now very pleased that we have been considered as an out-ground to host Hampshire matches in the future. We have endeavoured to maintain our links with Hampshire Cricket and the main county side and we look forward to watching 1st XI cricket in Basingstoke once again. It is a positive benefit for the north of the county.””We must now continue the hard work to deliver a spectacular international sports and entertainment resort with Test match cricket at its heart. Our plans take cricket at the Rose Bowl ‘beyond first class’ and will provide fans with the exciting prospect of seeing the world’s best in action at an outstanding world-class international cricket ground.”David Collier, the ECB chief executive added: “The Rose Bowl is an exciting new venue with international quality floodlights and impressive development plans which seek to create a truly world class cricket facility.”

Play has been abandonedfor the third successive day in the Carib Beer Series match between the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands at the Mindoo Phillip Park on Sunday. The outfield, which was already drenched and waterlogged after rain on the first two days, was even more saturated because of its poor drainage. After an inspection at 2 p.m by umpires Eddie Nicholls and Lawrence Thomas, any further chances of play were ruled out. Nicholls said they would attempt to start the game on the fourth and final day depending on the conditions.

The Sun hails Hoggard© The Sun

As expected, the English newspapers found it hard to contain their delight after England’s 77-run victory at Johannesburg, with even the usually football-mad tabloids joining in.”Hoggy bashes the Boks” was the lead story in The Sun, with a follow-up on England’s star, described as the King of the Swingers. “The Hogwarts Express served up some magic,” wrote John Etheridge, warming to a theme. “He stomped the ground like Shrek and made the ball swerve like a demented boomerang.” The Mirror found space on an inside page to praise “Hoggard’s Seventh Heaven”, but preferred a back page story on how David Beckham is not addicted to fame. What next? How Wayne Rooney loves doing social work?The Daily Mail was happier to concentrate on Hoggard the bowler.”He exploited the conditions perfectly,” it reported. “His ability to swing the ball was richly rewarded with England’s best match figures in a Test since Ian Botham claimed 13 for 106 in Bombay a quarter of a century ago.”Even the heavyweights struggled to contain themselves. “A hayrick-haired son of the soil with a heart of oak bowled England to a memorable victory,” wrote Mike Selvey in The Guardian “Hoggard is a country boy whose ploughman-plod has its roots in solitary dogwalking out on the moors. A brief conversation on the eve of the game, a statement rather than a question, was revealing: “Your pitch then Hoggy.” He just grinned and made that wristy twofingered glove-puppet motion that fast bowlers like to make when suggesting seam movement. He knew that this was his time and he had the wherewithall to make it count.”In The Independent, Stephen Brenkley reported that Hoggard would find all the media attention a bit too much. “Hoggard looked tired and slightly nonplussed by events, which were both understandable reactions. He will not like all the fuss, or the notebooks and cameras that will dance attendance on him over the next few days. His favourite pastime is walking his dogs (usually alone) in the countryside near his home close to Baildon in West Yorkshire and going home to open one of the many cans of beer he keeps in his fridge.”There was also praise for Graeme Smith’s rearguard which almost saved the match for South Africa. “He battled with immense pride to avoid defeat,” said Christopher Martin-Jenkins in The Times. “Having come in at No 8, ignoring medical advice that he should not bat because of the concussion he suffered when hit by the ball accidentally on Sunday morning, Smith was still there when Hoggard took his seventh wicket, and twelfth of the match. The injury to the tough young South Africa captain’s pride will be greater than that to his head.”Writing in The Guardian, South African journalist Neil Manthorp couldn’t contain his frustration. “South African cricket may yesterday have suffered its most damaging blow since its isolation ended in June 1991,” he fumed. “Last year was so packed full of disappointment that there were fears that the team’s supporters, most of them fickle at the best of times, would be drawn back towards following the resurgent Springbok rugby side. Now that has all gone, crushed as decisively as an elephant stamping on a cockroach. It was as dispiriting a defeat as South Africa have suffered in the modern era and now the ghosts of the past are set to re-emerge as the recriminations begin.”Back to the game itself, and in the Daily Telegraph, Geoff Boycott underlined the contribution Marcus Trescothick made to England’s win. “It was his innings that gave Hoggard the opportunity of winning the match,” he wrote. “He’ll find it difficult to play a better and more important innings in his career.”In the same paper, Derek Pringle highlighted Andrew Flintoff’s dismissal of Shaun Pollock. “Softening him up with a 90mph bouncer that struck the batsman a sickening blow to the head (the ball rebounded to deep mid-wicket), he got him three balls later, the ensuing edge the result of footwork scrambled by the earlier impact.”

The British government has stepped back into the debate surrounding England’s sporting relations with Robert Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe, and is putting pressure on the ECB to cancel their proposed tour in October 2004.The government has voiced its concern in the wake of comments by Lord MacLaurin, the former ECB chairman, and current chief of England’s main sponsors, Vodafone. In an interview with the London-based Guardian newspaper, MacLaurin warned that Vodafone might be forced to withdraw its support, worth roughly £3 million per year, if the tour goes ahead.In February this year, a huge furore surrounded and eventually overshadowed England’s World Cup campaign, with England pulling out of their Pool A match in Harare at the eleventh hour. It was a decision that ultimately cost the ECB close to £1 million in compensation, and the dust has barely been allowed to settle since, despite Zimbabwe’s recent visit to England passing relatively peacefully.But, with exactly a year to go until England’s next tour, the various parties concerned are determined not to make the same mistake again, and are airing their views well in advance. “Essentially our position has not changed,” said a spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. “Ministers made it clear before the World Cup that they did not want an England cricket team to play in Zimbabwe and nothing has changed on the ground to alter that view. The tour is still a long way away but if things remain the same in Zimbabwe we would suggest that the team does not tour.”The ECB had originally set itself a spring deadline to decide on the trip, but it now seems likely that a decision will be made in early 2004. Despite Vodafone’s concerns, Des Wilson, the head of the ECB’s corporate affairs committee, insisted that all the evidence would be assessed and any decision reached would not be motivated by money alone.”We fully accept that this decision must be taken early,” said Wilson. “We frequently monitor the situation in Zimbabwe. It is under review and early in the new year we will look at all the evidence. I am advised that there is a Commonwealth head of states’ meeting in December and we will wait to see what comes out of that.”The ECB was heavily criticised for its prevarication during the World Cup, but on that occasion the situation was largely out of their hands, given that it was an ICC event, with contractual implications for television and sponsors. This time, however, the ECB has not committed itself to any tour, something that their chairman, David Morgan, was careful to avoid on his bridge-building trip to Harare after the World Cup. “Zimbabwe have not been given a guarantee,” explained Wilson, “and unlike the World Cup there is no contractual obligation for us to go. What we indicated at the time [of Morgan’s visit] was that it was our intention to have the tour to Zimbabwe, but that we would have to monitor the situation.”The Professional Cricketers’ Association, who became heavily involved in the stand-off between England’s players and the ECB during the World Cup, have this time leant their support to the board. Their CEO, Richard Bevan, has been in communication with both Morgan and Tim Lamb, the ECB’s chief executive, and has expressed his satisfaction with the procedure and the timing of the latest discussions.”We are not going to rock the boat,” said Bevan. “The ECB is correct in taking the line it has in seeing what comes out of December’s Commonwealth meeting. Mistakes were made by all parties before the World Cup and these will not be made again. There is no point in making a decision now when the political climate may have changed in six months.”The Zimbabwean Cricket Union, however, remain adamant that the tour will go ahead as planned. “The relationship between Vodafone and the England Cricket Board is their own affair,” said Vince Hogg, the ZCU’s managing director. “The England tour is part of the future tours programme and, as far as we are concerned, they are coming.”

A blistering assault on the North West bowling by 19-year-old Umar Abrahams just failed to carry Eastern Province to victory as the Dragons kept alive their hopes of a Standard Bank Cup semi-final berth at St George’s Park on Friday.With EP apparently down and out at 158 for seven in reply to North West’s 249 for six, Abrahams hammered 73 off 66 balls to carry EP to within 10 of victory at the start of the final over. There was no fairy tale ending, however, as Abrahams holed out off the first ball of the over from Alfonso Thomas to give the Dragons victory by nine runs.Earlier, Arno Jacobs, with 83, and a quickfire 59 off just 43 deliveries from captain Martin Venter had lifted North West to an impressive total. The victory means that North West leapfrog EP into fourth place on the log.In Benoni a torrential Highveld thunderstorm washed out Easterns’ clash against the Highveld Strikers with the Strikers struggling on 119 for six off 37 overs after the visitors had opted to bat first.Andrew Hall nipped out the Strikers’ big three – Daryll Cullinan, Adam Bacher and Nic Pothas – in a devastating opening burst which left the Strikers reeling on 7 for three before Stephen Cook made an unbeaten 55 to stage something of a recovery. Then the rain came down.

Central Zone comfortably beat East Zone by seven wickets in theCricInfo Rani Jhansi tournament at the SRMC ground in Chennaitoday. After knocking over East for just 93 in the 45th over, Centralcoasted home with their reply revolving around an unbeaten 40 (65balls) from keeper Arundhati Kirkire. She also effected threedismissals behind the sticks besides completing two run outs andsurely must be a cinch to be selected in the World Cupprobables. Bindeshwari Goyal’s spell of 3-11 had created the openingfor Central in the first place. And spare a thought for SabariMukherjee who took two stunning catches, off her own bowling, thatwould have done Jonty Rhodes proud.East won the toss and elected to bat with captain Pratima Chakrabortiand Neetu Singh opening the innings. Things began brightly for them asNeetu straight drove Varsha to the boundary in the second over of theday. The score had mounted steadily to 15 in the fifth over beforeCentral captain Leena Muley bowled Neetu with one that took the top ofoff stump as she played inside the line.Chandrabarti Paul arrived at the crease and immediately found the gapson either side of the wicket for a couple of twos. But in the verynext over, a dreadful mixup with Pratima saw her depart withoutfurther addition. Pratima played to point, both ran, both stopped, andthen continued on their way. Ranjana Gupta fired in a good throw tothe keeper, finding Chandrabarti short of her ground. With thefielders at mid on, mid off, covers and mid wicket on the edge of thecircle, Pratima and Kavita Roy were able to take singles to theseregions without discomfort.But disaster was lurking round the corner when Pratima pulled one tosquare leg, who was a little closer. Bindeshwari’s throw was too goodfor Kavita as the batswomen scrambled frantically for a run. Two ballslater, without any addition to the score, Pratima swept one into thehands of Bharati Verma at squareleg to make it 29/4 in the 12th over.Two new players, Geeta Samanta Ray and Rashmita Mohanty, were nowfacing a Central attack with their tails up.Both lived dangerously with Rashmita hitting the ball uppishly into nowoman’s land between square leg and midwicket and Geeta being droppedby Priyanka at mid on off Bindeshwari. Rahul Singh’s left arm tweakersdid the job for Central Zone, trapping Rashmita lbw on the backfootwhen she tried to pull one that was a bit too full for the stroke.The score was now 37/5 and in the next over (the 18th) it became 38/6as Geeta tamely drove a half volley straight back to the bowlerBindeshwari.Just seven runs came in the following nine overs, as Saswati Mukherjeeand Rumeli Dhar treated the bowling with utmost respect, and Centralbroke through again in the 27th over when left arm spinner PreetiDimri trapped Saswati leg before. The 50 mark came up in the 28th overand Rumeli then proceeded to beef up the score with some cleanstriking that fetched boundaries to long on and midwicket off Varsha.The promising 16-year-old medium pacer Jhulan Goswami was stumped offa wide from Varsha in the 35th over and the innings was finallyterminated with Ranjana Gupta’s first legal delivery, from whichSabari Chatterjee was also stumped. Rumeli had run out of partnersafter making a valiant 33 (82 balls). Six bowlers got amongst thewickets for Central Zone but Bindeshwari was far and away the best andher figures of 10-3-11-3 reflected it.Central openers Bharati Varma and Priyanka Sailey quickly took chargeand guided the score to 16 in the fourth over before an out of theworld catch by Sabari Chatterjee prematurely ended Bharati’sinnings. Bharati got a top edge as she tried to work Sabari away onthe onside and the bowler ran around the non striker who was in herway and dived full length to complete the catch. Umpire Sumathi Iyerhad to consult the square leg umpire before raising the finger.In the next over Jhulan Goswami surprised Priyanka with an off cutterthat went through her defences and disturbed the off stump. Centralwere in just a spot of bother at 22/2 but Chitra Bajpai and ArundhatiKirkire guided them out of the woods with a fluently compiled thirdwicket stand. Sabari had been taken off after her sixth over went for11, including three wides and a trademark Chitra heave over thefielder at midwicket for four.Arundhati was in even better nick and cut Jhulan to the square thirdman fence for her first boundary. Off break bowler Saswati Mukherjeefailed to latch on to a return catch that Arundhati offered in herfirst over but off the very next ball she made up for thatdisappointment by dislodging Chitra’s off bail when the latter triedto repeat the same shot.Ranjana Gupta, playing her first match of the tournament, joinedArundhati with the score at 66/3 and pottered around for a whilebefore Sabari took a second astonishing catch in almost similarfashion. Ranjana sliced a full toss in the air in the direction ofmid on and Sabari once more took the c&b at a 180 degree angle to theground. Rahul Singh arrived with 19 more needed and survived a loudappeal for a catch by the keeper as she swung across the line andmissed. But Arundhati was in full cry now and ensured that no moremishaps occurred on the way. Two boundaries off Saswati in the 30thover closed out Central’s second win in three matches.

Wolves are currently going through a right-back crisis that may cost them European football next season, with Nelson Semedo picking up an injury that could rule him out until the end of the season.

Meanwhile, manager Bruno Lage has very publicly criticised former Liverpool prospect Ki-Jana Hoever’s mentality, and it’s unlikely that he will be featuring in the first team any time soon.

Currently, left-back Jonny Otto is filling in on the right flank, and although he is more than capable of playing on that side due to his ability to play with either foot, the position isn’t one he has played too many times in his career and Lage might be looking to sign a more permanent right-back in the summer.

However, one player that could potentially save the club millions to provide healthier competition for Semedo’s spot and be a competent replacement should he become injured again is Hungarian full-back Bendeguz Bolla – who had Jack Grealish in his back-pocket during an international match with England last year.

Although Hungary were ultimately defeated 4-0, he managed to prevent the Manchester City star from scoring, having a more comfortable night than his teammates on the right-hand side.

The 22-year-old signed from Hungarian outfit Fehervar last summer for £1.8m, before immediately heading out on loan to Grasshopper Club Zurich for the season.

Having scored three goals and created two more from the right-wing back position in just 21 appearances in the Swiss Super League this season, many Wolves fans may well be wishing that they had him available now and not just in the new campaign.

Proving himself as an attacking threat, Bolla takes on average one shot per game, as well as making just under one key pass and completing over one dribble per game too.

On the defensive end, he has also proved to be solid, making zero mistakes leading to a shot so far in the Swiss top flight this season, as well as making over one tackle, over one interception, one clearance and being dribbled past less than once per game.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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With the club yet to replace the attacking output that came from Irishman Matt Doherty after his transfer to Tottenham, Bolla could become a key player at Molineux, and there is definitely also a chance to move above Semedo as first choice.

In other news: Sold at £25m, now a £67.5m-rated “leader”: Fosun had Wolves blunder on “scary” 18 y/o

Mohammad Ashraful’s tenure as captain has been extended until December 2008 © AFP

Mohammad Ashraful will lead Bangladesh’s 15-man squad to play the three-match ODI series in New Zealand next month. Mashrafe Mortaza has been named his deputy; the tenures of both the captain and vice-captain have been extended until December 2008.Opener Shahriar Nafees and offspinner Mahmudullah have been dropped from the team that were run over by Sri Lanka in July. They have been replaced by Junaid Siddique, who scored 71 in the only match he played during the ICC World Twenty20, and Nazmul Hossain, an up-and-coming fast bowler.The squad has two other openers in Javed Omar and Tamim Iqbal, while the bowling attack will be lead by Mortaza, and includes Syed Rasel, Abdur Razzak and Shahadat Hossain, besides allrounders Shakib al Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jnr and Farhad Reza. Mushfiqur Rahim continues as wicketkeeper, while Aftab Ahmed – who has often thrilled with his brief but breathtaking stroke play – will play alongside Ashraful in the middle order.Bangladesh, who have only played two Tests previously in New Zealand, are scheduled to begin their tour with a warm-up match against Northern Districts starting on December 19 although there has been talk of organising a charity Twenty20 match to raise money for the cyclone victims in Bangladesh.Bangladesh squad Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Javed Omar, Tushar Imran, Abdur Razzak, Shakib Al Hasan, Syed Rasel, Aftab Ahmed, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shahadat Hossain, Junaid Siddique, Farhad Reza, Mehrab Hossain jnr, Tamim Iqbal, Nazmul Hossain.